TWEEN  T 


ALIEL 


9  6 


. B.CLARKE 


[BOOKS1 

2Sa28TREMONTST.& 
1       in  rniiBT  <;<->  une-rnk 


BETWEEN   TWO 
MASTERS 


BY 


GAMALIEL  BRADFORD,  JR. 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 
ftitoer?iti£  ptes?, 
1906 


COPYRIGHT  1906  BY   GAMALIEL  BRADFORD,  JR. 


ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 


Published  April  iqob 


TO 

S.  H.  B. 


M506269 


CONTENTS 


I.    An  Offer  of  Millions  i 

II.    A  Game  of  Billiards .          .          .  16 

III.  Gloria 30 

IV.  The  Reverend  Marcus       .          .          .  41 
V.    Milly  declines 51 

VI.    Coppers 61 

VII.    "  I  step  down  and  out "                     «          .  76 

VIII.    Robertsville 87 

IX.    A  Jester's  Wooing         ....  98 

X.    A  Canoe  Accident     .          .          .          .  109 

XI.    Harvey's  Philanthropy  .          .          .          .120 

XII.    The  Pleshpots 131 

XIII.  A  Golf  Tournament     .          .          .          .  144 

XIV.  The  Crackling  of  Thorns  .          .          .  155 
XV.    Mrs.  O'Brien 165 

XVI.    Harvey  explains         .          .          .          •  176 

XVII.    Tainted  Money 191 

XVIII.    The  Settlement          ....  202 

XIX.    The  Baiting  of  Diana   .          .          .          .211 

XX.    Mr.  Phelps's  Will     ....  226 

XXI.    Impertinent  Questions  ....  232 

XXII.    The  Personal  Element        ...  242 


viii  CONTENTS 

XXIII.  Diana  and  Marcus         .          .          .          .252 

XXIV.  The  End  of  the  O'Briens  ...  265 
XXV.  The  Everlasting  Arms  .          .          .          .  279 

XXVI.  "  Go  ask  her  To-morrow  "          .          .  286 

XXVII.  The  Windflower 294 

XXVIII.  The  Coming  of  the  Tide   .         .         .  309 

XXIX.  Milly 324 

XXX.  Diana      .         .         .         .         .         .  332 


BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 


BETWEEN  TWO  MASTERS 

CHAPTER   I 

AN  OFFER  OF  MILLIONS 

ON  a  warm  October  evening  Amos  K.  Phelps  and 
his  brother's  son  Harvey  sat  and  smoked  in  the 
great  dining-room  of  Amos' s  house  on  Common 
wealth  Avenue. 

The  uncle  was  a  man  of  something  over  fifty,  slight 
in  build,  very  handsome  and  dignified  in  his  evening 
dress,  hair  already  quite  gray,  skin  as  dark  as  an  In 
dian's,  eyes  dark,  shrewd,  penetrating,  the  face  smooth, 
except  for  a  soft,  gray  mustache.  The  nephew  was 
a  young  fellow,  as  dark  as  his  uncle,  but  of  a  very 
different  figure,  tall,  broad-shouldered,  stoutly  mus 
cled,  making  even  slight  movements  with  the  soft 
ease  of  strength.  His  clean-shaven  face  was  full,  the 
features  a  trifle  heavy,  yet  by  no  means  unintelligent, 
and  touched  with  a  singularly  winning  frankness 
when  he  smiled. 

The  uncle  opened  the  conversation,  speaking  in  a 
quiet,  even  tone,  with  the  deliberateness  of  a  man 


a  BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

who  means  never  to  regret  anything  he  has  uttered. 
"  Well,  my  boy,  it  looks  like  the  beginning  of  life 
for  you  now.  Twenty-two  years  old,  college  over,  a 
long  summer's  vacation  doing  nothing." 

Harvey  took  his  cigar  out  of  his  mouth,  as  if  to 
remonstrate,  but  he  thought  better  of  it. 

"I  know,"  continued  Amos.  "If  you  prefer,  we 
won't  say  doing  nothing  ;  but  teaching  boys  to  row 
and  swim  in  a  summer  camp  is  hardly  a  serious  pur 
suit.  Of  course,  without  saying  very  much  about  it, 
I've  always  hoped  that  when  this  time  came  you 
would  go  into  business  with  me.  That 's  always  been 
the  understanding,  I  suppose.  You  've  been  my  boy 
ever  since  your  parents  died,  and  if  I  'd  had  a  son  of 
my  own  I  could  n't  have  loved  him  any  better,  and 
no  son  of  my  own  could  have  behaved  better  to 
me.  Now,  I  think,  we  should  begin  to  talk  about 
the  future." 

Harvey  Phelps  was  not  the  sort  of  man  who  speaks 
easily,  and  it  was  with  an  evident  effort  that  he  made 
the  response  which  seemed  to  be  demanded  of  him. 
"  You  've  been  awfully  good  to  me,  Uncle  Amos.  I 
don't  know  what  I  've  done  to  deserve  it." 

"  Well,  not  so  good  as  that  comes  to  either,"  the 
uncle  answered.  "You  have  your  own  income, — 
not  much,  but  enough  to  live  on.  You  could  have 
got  along  without  me,  I  suppose.  I  'm  willing  to  call 


AN  OFFER  OF  MILLIONS  3 

it  square,  so  far.  But  you  won't  want  to  loaf  forever 
on  two  thousand  dollars  a  year.  It's  the  future  we 
must  think  about,  my  boy,  — the  future." 

Harvey  looked,  listened,  smoked,  —  and  said  no 
thing. 

"  The  future,"  Amos  repeated,  a  little  more  slowly. 
"I've  always  lived  in  it,  —  perhaps  too  much."  Then 
he  went  on  in  his  ordinary  business-like  tone  :  "  I  'm 
fifty-three  years  old.  When  I  was  your  age  I  had 
nothing,  and  no  prospect  of  anything.  I  was  clerking 
it  on  a  small  salary  for  Williams  &  Harding,  bank 
ers  and  brokers.  Before  I  was  thirty,  by  two  or  three 
turns  of  extraordinary  luck,  I  was  a  partner  in  the 
house,  making  money  by  handfuls.  Now  I  'm  the 
senior  partner  of  my  own  house,  worth  from  six  to 
seven  millions.  For  the  last  five  years  I  Ve  had  it 
in  my  head  all  the  time  that  you  should  succeed  me 
and  carry  on  the  business.  I  believe  you  're  just  the 
one  to  do  it.  Mind  you,  Harvey,  I  don't  care  about 
money  in  itself.  I  don't  care  to  hoard  it,  and  I  Ve 
no  taste  for  spending  it.  All  this  sort  of  thing"  — he 
lifted  his  hand  lightly  towards  the  table  with  its  spar 
kling  glass  and  silver — "  means  very  little  to  me.  The 
women  like  it.  I  built  this  house  to  please  them  ; 
but  I  should  be  just  as  contented  myself  in  the  story- 
and-a-half  cottage  where  I  was  born.  It's  the  suc 
cess  that  counts, — to  be  all  the  time  reaching  after 


4  BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

something  bigger  and  getting  it,  —  to  lay  long  plans 
and  carry  them  out  just  as  you  foresaw  them,  —  to 
put  your  hand  on  men  and  things  and  feel  them 
give."  He  stretched  out  his  thin,  dark,  strong  fingers 
and  closed  them  slowly,  as  if  the  world  were  yielding 
to  his  grip. 

"  Lately,  since  I  've  had  this  heart  trouble,  which 
may  carry  me  off  at  any  time,  you  Ve  been  in  all  my 
plans,"  he  went  on.  "I  feel,  somehow,  that  you've 
got  it  in  you,  and  we  can  work  together.  And  I  want 
to  leave  the  business  and  the  name  associated,  after 
I  'm  gone.  I  did  hope  I  should  have  a  son,  —  a  child 
of  my  own,  at  any  rate  ;  but  that  was  denied  me. 
Of  course,  there 's  Ethel.  When  I  married  Mrs.  Har 
per,  Ethel  was  hardly  more  than  a  baby,  and  she 's 
been  almost  like  my  own  daughter,  especially  since 
your  aunt  died.  She 's  a  good  girl — and  very  nearly 
your  age,  Harvey ;  of  course,  I  shall  provide  for  her 
amply,  —  and  sometimes  I  have  thought"  — 

He  did  not  finish  the  sentence.  Again  Harvey 
seemed  about  to  speak,  but  he  took  a  long  pull  at 
his  cigar  instead. 

Once  more  Mr.  Phelps  continued  the  conversation. 
"Well,  there  it  is.  It's  a  good  opening  for  you. 
There 's  no  doubt  about  that  You  '11  have  to  begin 
at  the  bottom  at  first,  till  you  know  the  ways  and  get 
the  hang  of  the  street.  But  that  won't  last  long.  I  'm 


AN  OFFER  OF  MILLIONS  5 

sure  you  've  got  it  in  you.  You  '11  go  to  the  top  in  no 
time.  Now,  then,  wh.at  do  you  say  ?  " 

Evidently  it  was  impossible  for  the  young  man  to 
keep  silent  any  longer.  Yet  it  was  equally  evident 
that  he  was  reluctant  to  speak.  He  looked  thought 
fully  at  the  long  ash  on  the  end  of  his  cigar,  knocked 
it  off  into  the  tray  beside  him,  then  looked  at  the  end 
of  his  cigar  again. 

"  Uncle,"  he  began  at  length,  "  it 's  awfully  hard 
for  me  to  put  my  ideas  into  shape.  You  know  that." 

Amos  nodded. 

"  Whatever  happens,  I  want  you  to  feel  that  I 
appreciate  your  kindness.  Not  one  young  fellow  in 
ten  thousand  has  the  chance  you  're  offering  me,  and 
I  'm  grateful." 

Again  a  pause,  which  Amos  this  time  showed  no 
disposition  to  break.  He  simply  surveyed  his  nephew, 
through  the  curling  smoke,  with  quiet  curiosity. 

"  The  truth  is  "  —  Harvey  made  a  desperate  plunge 
—  "I  have  queer,  fool  doubts  about  whether  it  would 
be  quite  right  for  me  to  do  this." 

"  How  right  ?"  was  Amos's  calm  inquiry. 

"  If  I  try  to  say  what  I  mean,  you  '11  suppose  I  'm 
finding  fault  with  you,  in  some  way,  and  I  think 
you  're  one  of  the  greatest  men  alive." 

"  Just  go  ahead  with  your  ideas.  Leave  me  out. 
I  want  to  get  at  the  facts." 


6  BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  Well,  then,  the  last  year  or  so  I  've  been  looking 
into  things  a  little  and  I  begin  to  wonder  whether 
our  ways  of  doing  are  n't  all  wrong.  These  big  trusts 
and  combinations,  the  graft,  the  boodle,  the  corrup 
tion  in  politics  and  big  rich  men  taking  mean  advan 
tage  of  it  —  I  've  heard  there  's  something  infamous 
at  the  bottom  of  every  great  fortune  —  there,  Uncle 
Amos,  that's  just  what  I  didn't  mean  to  say  —  it 
sounds  ungrateful,  and  I  'm  not  ungrateful." 

"  I  know  it,"  answered  Amos,  without  the  faintest 
trace  of  irritation  or  disturbance.  "Go  on." 

"  These  are  n't  my  own  ideas,"  Harvey  continued, 
with  a  little  more  confidence.  "  They  're  just  floating 
in  the  air.  I  have  n't  made  them  mine.  I  may  never. 
But  they  've  got  hold  of  me,  and  I  think  slowly,  you 
know.  I  've  got  to  work  them  out.  I  'm  not  ready 
yet  to  join  the  capitalist  ranks  for  good  and  all." 

Another  pause.  This  time  Harvey  waited  for  his 
uncle  to  break  it. 

"Well,"  said  the  latter,  at  last,  "I  don't  say  but 
you're  right.  These  things  weren't  the  fashion  in 
my  day  and  I  don't  care  much  for  them  now.  They 
seem  to  me  fanciful.  Of  course,  every  man  has  got 
to  draw  his  own  line,  and  there  are  few  men  that 
don't  draw  one  somewhere.  I  've  always  drawn  mine, 
I  know,  hard  and  sharp.  But  life  is  a  practical  thing. 
Most  of  this  talk  comes  from  ministers  and  teachers 


AN  OFFER  OF  MILLIONS  7 

—  men  who  have  never  put  through  a  business  deal 
in  their  lives,  and  don't  know  what  it  means.  You  've 
got  to  do  business  by  business  methods.  You  've  got 
to  beat  a  rascal  at  his  own  game.  We  don't  make 
the  politicians  corrupt.  We  wish  they  were  otherwise. 
But  they  are  what  they  are.  You  Ve  got  to  accept 
them  so,  or  get  out.  Some  may  get  out.  I  don't." 

Still  Harvey  did  not  seem  quite  satisfied.  "  But  it 
works  unfairly,"  he  said.  "  The  strong  and  the  un 
scrupulous  and  the  rich  get  the  best  of  it.  We  pre 
tend  to  have  justice  in  this  country  and  give  every 
man  his  chance ;  but  we  don't." 

"  Nature  does  n't  give  every  man  a  chance  —  very 
few,"  suggested  the  millionaire. 

"That's  just  it.  Nature  is  brutal.  We  ought  to 
be  different.  Of  course,  I  'm  a  child  in  these  matters, 
Uncle  Amos.  I  don't  even  know  what  poverty  and 
suffering  there  is  in  the  world.  But  somehow  I  seem 
to  have  a  strange  feeling  of  it  all  about  me.  Things 
seem  wrong." 

"And  you  want  to  make  them  right?"  The  in 
quiry  was  gentle  and  almost  sympathetic,  not  a  trace 
of  sarcasm  in  it.  "  It 's  natural,  at  your  age.  But  it 's 
an  old,  old  world,  and  the  wrongs  in  it  right  slowly. 
As  for  the  poverty  and  suffering,  we  can  do  a  little 
to  relieve  them  here  and  there ;  but  nine  tenths  of 
them  come  from  folly  and  improvidence  and  vice. 


8  BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

You  talk  of  giving  every  man  a  chance.  We  do. 
The  man  who  is  thrifty  and  self-denying  and  fore- 
sighted  gets  his  chance  and  profits  by  it.  Every  man 
has  a  chance  to  show  what  is  in  him.  Most  men  have 
nothing  in  them." 

Both  smoked  on  in  silence  for  a  few  moments. 
Through  the  open  window  came  the  brassy  blare  of 
a  German  band,  playing  a  few  blocks  away. 

"  You  must  think  I  'm  a  fool,"  said  Harvey. 

"  No,"  answered  his  uncle ;  "  though  every  man 
has  his  moments  of  being  a  fool,  and  those  not  always 
his  worst  moments  either." 

"  The  truth  is,"  the  young  man  continued,  "  I 
haven't  the  least  idea  of  finding  fault  with  your 
method  of  life  or  any  man's.  I  don't  know  enough. 
It  would  be  too  absurd.  I  've  never  done  anything 
serious  but  play  football.  I  want  to  look  about  me. 
I  want  to  learn.  I  want  to  make  up  my  mind  for  my 
self  as  to  all  these  things.  But  I  don't  feel  ready 
quite  yet  to  give  my  whole  life  to  the  accumulation 
of  money." 

"  There 's  just  one  thing,"  said  Amos.  "  Is  busi 
ness  distasteful  to  you  in  itself?  Do  you  feel  that 
you  would  prefer  some  other  occupation  ?  " 

Harvey  shook  his  head  with  a  smile.  "  That 's  the 
worst  of  it.  I  know  I  should  like  it.  As  you  say,  it 
is  n't  the  money,  it 's  the  dealing  with  men,  the  work- 


AN  OFFER  OF  MILLIONS  9 

ing  out  of  large  schemes,  the  sense  of  mastery.  I 
don't  want  to  do  anything  else.  I  want  to  do  that." 

Amos' s  answering  smile  had  a  gleam  of  quiet  sat 
isfaction  in  it.  "  Then  why  not  at  least  make  a  trial  ?  " 
he  said.  "  Come  into  the  office  for  six  months.  See 
how  bad  we  are.  You  're  not  signing  any  articles. 
You  can  leave  when  you  like.  You  want  to  look 
about  you.  How  could  you  get  a  better  opportu 
nity  ?" 

"  You  're  tempting  me,"  was  Harvey's  slow  answer, 
"  and  I  'm  afraid  you  know  it.  Did  any  man  who  got 
in  there  and  succeeded  ever  get  out?" 

"Why  not?" 

"Ah,  indeed,  why  not?   But  do  they?" 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Phelps,  rising,  "you  know  what 
I  should  like  in  the  matter.  Think  it  over." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  will ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  accept 
your  offer  —  for  a  time,  at  any  rate." 

After  this,  Amos  retired  to  his  private  sitting-room, 
and  Harvey  went  upstairs  to  the  library.  There  he 
found  Ethel  Harper,  his  uncle's  step-daughter,  and 
Miss  Lucia  Phelps,  who  had  kept  house  for  Amos 
before  his  marriage  and  again  since  his  wife's  death. 

Miss  Phelps  was  a  small,  somewhat  insignificant, 
old  lady,  an  excellent  housekeeper,  and  a  thorough 
going  adorer  of  her  brother,  nephew,  and  niece,  but 
not  conversationally  or  socially  remarkable.  Just  at 


io         BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

present  she  was  slumbering  over  the  editorial  col 
umns  of  the  "  Transcript." 

Ethel  Harper  was  a  large  girl,  with  a  certain  gen 
eral  resemblance  in  type  to  Harvey,  —  brown  hair, 
brown  eyes,  face  rather  full  and  a  trifle  slow  and 
heavy  in  expression,  figure  splendidly  robust  and 
muscular.  Her  skin  was  as  tanned  as  constant  ex 
posure  to  wind  and  sun  could  make  it. 

"  That 's  right,  Harvey,"  she  began.  "  Do  come 
and  wake  me  up.  I  know  you  've  been  talking  busi 
ness  with  papa.  Talk  football  with  me." 

The  future  banker  drew  a  long  breath  and  shook 
his  shoulders.  "  Don't  mention  football.  I  miss  it 
too  much." 

"  I  should  think  you  would.  Should  n't  I  like  to 
play ! "  Indeed  she  looked  as  if  she  might  buck  the 
centre  with  considerable  effect.  "  Can  they  beat  Yale 
without  you  at  right  tackle?"  she  went  on. 

"I  don't  know,  I'm  sure.  Football  is  my  natural 
atmosphere,  and  I'm  jolted  out  of  it.  Let's  talk  of 
something  else.  Why  did  n't  you  win  the  golf  tour 
nament?" 

"  Do  you  suppose  I  like  to  talk  about  that  ?  I  had 
an  off  day,  practiced  too  much  the  day  before,  broke 
my  brassey  on  the  third  hole  and  had  to  take  another 
that  did  n't  suit  me.  And  then,  it  might  be  that  the 
other  girl  played  better  golf." 


AN    OFFER   OF    MILLIONS  n 

"It  might  be,"  agreed  Harvey  sympathetically. 
"  Still,  you  furnish  a  very  good  article. " 

"  Thank  you." 

There  was  silence  for  a  moment  in  the  great  library, 
with  its  rows  of  glass-covered,  gilt-backed,  unread 
books.  Both  the  man  and  the  girl  were  quicker  with 
their  hands  than  with  their  tongues.  Miss  Lucia  began 
to  sleep  audibly. 

"So,  you're  just  off  the  Windflower?"  inquired 
Harvey.  "  Good  cruise  ?  " 

"  Perfect ! "  was  the  enthusiastic  response.  "  We 
went  farther  down  than  I  Ve  ever  been  before,  — 
almost  to  Newfoundland.  Such  fog !  Papa  pattered 
about  all  day  on  deck  in  his  oilskins.  It  did  him  a 
world  of  good.  He  gets  the  stock  quotations  now  by 
wireless,  so  he 's  more  contented  than  he  used  to  be. 
We  had  a  jolly  big  sea  one  day,  —  scared  me  blue. 
Aunt  Lucia's  heart  was  in  her  bed-slippers,  —  poor 
thing!  Captain  Jim  has  it  in  for  you,  Harvey,  as 
they  say.  He  wants  to  know  why  you  Ve  deserted 
him  like  this,  —  says  he  can't  run  the  ship  without 
you.  I  told  him  you  were  at  a  summer  camp,  doing 
good.  He  said  he  hoped  you  would  n't  get  notions. 
Have  you  got  notions?" 

Harvey  nodded,  with  mock  melancholy.  "  I  Jm 
afraid  I  have,  — -a  mild  case." 

"  That 's  too  bad.   What 's  your  variety  ?  " 


12          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

" I'm  getting  to  think  you  and  I  have  too  good  a 
time  in  the  world." 

"  Nonsense !  It 's  every  one's  duty  to  have  as  good 
a  time  as  he  can  without  hurting  others." 

"  Ah,  but,"  said  Harvey,  though  reluctantly,  and 
as  if  indisposed  to  preach,  " don't  we  hurt  others? 
There 's  the  point." 

"I'm  sure  I  don't  mean  to,"  Ethel  answered, 
with  entire  good  nature.  "  I  '11  take  you  a  hundred 
miles  in  my  auto  before  long  and  blow  all  this  out 
of  you." 

"To  be  sure,  the  new  auto."  The  change  of  sub 
ject  was  accepted  with  evident  relief.  "An  'Excel 
sior,'  is  it  ?  How  does  she  go  ?  " 

"The  best  ever.  When  she's  running  over  forty 
the  motion  just  rocks  you  to  sleep." 

"  Does  it,  now  ?   Smell  much  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit.  You  might  be  riding  on  a  bed  of 
roses." 

"  I  know  that  kind.    Ever  hang  up  ?  " 

"  No.  That  is,  of  course  you  might  burst  a  tire. 
And  the  other  day  something  in  the  gearing  went 
on  strike  for  a  while.  We  don't  want  to  have  too 
good  a  time  in  the  world,  you  know.  You  must  ex 
pect  those  little  things." 

"  I  should." 

Harvey  was  wonderfully  contented.    It  was  his 


AN   OFFER   OF    MILLIONS  13 

nature  to  be  contented,  and  it  cost  him  an  effort  to 
be  otherwise.  Physical  ease  was  pleasant  to  him  as 
well  as  physical  effort.  It  was  pleasant  to  recline 
almost  at  length  in  the  great  Morris  chair  and  watch 
his  cousin's  pleasant,  tranquil  countenance  and  the 
graceful  play  of  her  firm  figure  in  her  semi-evening 
frock  of  blue  crepe.  It  was  so  natural  to  have  a  good 
time  in  the  world  and  had  been  so  habitual  with  him, 
until  lately  there  had  come  up  that  vague  spectre  of 
the  others. 

"  Just  wait  and  see,"  Ethel  went  on.  "  Some  fine 
day  soon,  I  'm  going  to  take  you  and  Milly  a  good 
long  ride." 

"  Milly  ?  "  repeated  Harvey. 

"  Milly  Erskine.    Surely  you  remember  her." 

"  I  believe  I  did  meet  her  here  last  year  two  or 
three  times.  Is  n't  she  the  girl  whose  father  went  up 
for  half  a  million  and  then  shot  himself  ?  " 

"  Was  n't  it  cruel  of  him  !  " 

"Was  it?" 

"  Well,  perhaps  it  would  have  made  more  trouble 
if  he  had  n't.  But  to  leave  his  wife  and  daughter  in 
that  way,  instead  of  living  and  going  to  work  and 
taking  care  of  them  ! " 

"  They  have  to  take  care  of  themselves,  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  they  have  something,  I  believe ;  but  Milly 
has  to  teach  in  Miss  Corliss's  school,  where  she  and 


14          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

I  used  to  go,  you  know.  And  she  hates  it  and  does 
it  beautifully.  It  seems  too  bad." 

"Well,  I'm  not  so  sure,"  answered  Harvey 
thoughtfully.  "  Do  you  think  it  would  be  so  bad  for 
you,  for  instance?" 

"I  do,  indeed.  Milly  hates  it,  but  she  can  do  it. 
I  should  hate  it,  and  I  could  n't  do  it  at  all." 

Once  more  there  was  silence.  Miss  Lucia  had 
made  one  or  two  ineffectual  efforts  to  refix  her 
attention  upon  the  "  Transcript"  and  had  subsided 
again. 

"And  the  Reverend  what's  his  name,"  asked 
Ethel,  "is  he  well?" 

"  The  Reverend  what 's  his  name  is  well,"  was  the 
deliberate  reply. 

"  By  the  way,  what  is  his  name  ?  I  always  forget," 
continued  the  athletic  cousin. 

"  Marcus  Upham." 

"  Do  you  know,  Harvey,  I  'm  afraid  he  is  n't  very 
good  for  you." 

"  Perhaps  not." 

"He's  thin,  isn't  he,  and  looks  anxious,  and 
preaches  in  the  pulpit  and  out  of  it,  and  has  a  ter 
rible  sense  of  duty." 

"He's  a  good  fellow." 

"  I  don't  question  it.  But  that  sort  of  thing  is  n't 
suited  to  you  and  me." 


AN    OFFER   OF    MILLIONS  15 

"  A  sense  of  duty  ?  " 

"  A  sense  of  duty  is  well  enough,  but  it  ought  to 
be  quiet  and  reasonable  and  every  day.  It 's  hard  to 
drag  such  a  weight  up  on  the  heights.  Perhaps  you 
think  I  might  speak  for  myself." 

Harvey  frowned  a  little,  not  as  if  he  were  annoyed, 
but  as  if  he  were  puzzled.  "I'm  afraid  you  're  right," 
he  said.  "  But  don't  suppose  I  've  been  on  the  heights 
this  summer.  I  've  taught  a  dozen  boys  to  swim  and 
kept  them  out  of  mischief.  That 's  all." 

At  this  point  Miss  Lucia  made  a  definite  effort  to 
rouse  herself,  with  the  evident  desire  of  transferring 
her  slumbers  to  a  more  suitable  resting-place.  "  Go 
ing,  Harvey  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Well,  no,  I  wasn't;  but  perhaps  I'd  better." 

Miss  Lucia  protested  civilly  and  Ethel  decidedly. 
"  It  must  be  so  dismal  over  in  those  dreary  chambers 
all  by  yourself.  Why  don't  you  come  and  live  here, 
as  you  used  to  ?  " 

"  We  must  n't  have  too  good  a  time,  you  know," 
Harvey  suggested.  "  I  manage  to  worry  along  over 
there.  But  I  shan't  forget  your  auto  invitation,"  he 
added,  as  he  said  good-night. 


CHAPTER    II 

A  GAME  OF  BILLIARDS 

Two  or  three  evenings  after  this,  Ethel  and  her 
friend  Milly  Erskine  were  in  the  great  billiard-room 
at  the  Phelps's.  Both  pool  and  billiards  were  avail 
able,  but  the  girls  had  chosen  the  nobler  and  more 
difficult  game.  Ethel  entered  into  billiards,  as  she 
did  into  every  sport,  with  all  the  solid  application  of 
her  nature.  To  her  such  things  were  the  serious  part 
of  life.  Miss  Erskine  did  not  appear  to  regard  any 
part  of  life  as  very  serious.  She  was  a  slight,  fair  per 
son,  with  deep  blue  eyes,  which  sparkled  like  little 
waves  in  sunshine.  Her  hair  floated  softly  about  her 
forehead.  All  her  features  were  firm  and  delicate 
now ;  but  it  seemed  likely  that  in  twenty  years  they 
would  be  rather  sharp  and  angular. 

Billiards  is  a  pretty  exercise  for  women,  and  any 
judicious  observer  would  have  been  charmed  to  watch 
these  two  figures,  in  their  light  dinner  gowns,  Ethel's 
green,  Milly's  gray,  falling,  with  unconscious  grace, 
into  the  odd  attitudes  which  the  game  demands. 

"  This  is  my  natural  atmosphere,"  said  Milly,  as 


A   GAME   OF    BILLIARDS  17 

she  stood  back  and  chalked  her  cue,  while  Ethel, 
with  long  deliberation,  tried  a  difficult  shot  —  and 
missed  it  by  a  hair.  "  I  ought  to  live  in  it  always. 
I  'm  too  delicate  to  labor.  These  hands  —  this  brain 
—  are  they  framed  for  toil  ?  Now  you"  — 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  "  —  Ethel  took  her  turn  at  the  chalk, 
"  I  don't  say  you  would  n't  shine  in  any  sphere,  Miss 
Erskine ;  but  you  're  much  more  fit  to  work  than  I 
am  —  at  least,  so  far  as  brain  goes.  I  might  take  in 
washing." 

Here  she  began  a  run  of  phenomenal  successes, 
which  absorbed  them  both.  When  it  ended,  Ethel 
spoke  again.  "  Oh,  but,  Milly,  it  is  such  a  shame ! " 

"That  you  should  beat  your  guest?   I  know  it." 

"  Nonsense !  That  you  should  have  to  teach  :  day 
after  day  shoving  stupid  girls  —  such  as  I  was  — 
through  French  verbs  and  La  Tulipe  Noire.  You 
ought  to  be  in  Washington,  astonishing  the  diplo 
matic  corps  with  American  jokes,  or  the  wife  of  the 
minister  in  London  —  something  distinguished,  some 
thing  startling.  That 's  what  you  were  born  for ;  not 
to  waste  your  sweetness  on  a  Boston  finishing  school." 

Milly  dropped  the  end  of  her  cue  with  a  bang. 
"  Ethel  Harper,  you  are  positively  eloquent.  To  think 
that  my  misfortunes  should  inspire  such  a  burst  of 
glowing  oratory !  But  don't  tantalize  me.  Ah,  if  only 
I  could  live  to  enchant  young  diplomats  in  the  dim 


1 8          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

corners  of  half-lit  conservatories  and  to  wheedle 
state  secrets  out  of  gray  ambassadors  by  the  magic 
of  my  girlish  charms !  Alas,  such  things  are  not  to 
be.  And  I  shall  be  known  to  the  rising  generation 
of  men  as  that  cross  Erskine  girl  who  teaches  my 
sister  French.  The  pity  of  it!  Come,  let's  forget 
and  play  out  the  play." 

So  they  played.  Milly,  who  could  do  pretty  much 
anything  she  chose,  gave  her  attention  strictly  to 
business  for  a  time,  making  a  series  of  brilliant  shots, 
which  put  her  in  the  lead.  Then  she  grew  indiffer 
ent  again ;  and  Ethel,  who  was  never  inspired  and 
never  indifferent,  drew  up  quietly  to  where  she  was 
before. 

"  Harvey  says,"  she  began,  dropping  the  bridge 
back  into  its  place,  "  Harvey  says  that  perhaps  it 's 
rather  a  good  thing  for  you  to  have  to  work,  that  it 
might  be  a  good  thing  for  me  too." 

"  Harvey  says  so,  does  he  ?  Well,  now,  that  's  in 
teresting.  How  did  your  cousin  get  such  an  idea 
as  that  ?  From  what  I  've  seen  and  heard  of  him,  I 
should  hardly  think  it  would  have  budded  unassisted 
in  his  own  brain." 

"  You  see  Harvey 's  made  a  friend." 

"  Indeed  ?  One  who  does  n't  eat  at  the  training 
table?" 

Ethel   scored   three  and  then  answered   quietly, 


A   GAME    OF   BILLIARDS  19 

"  You  did  n't  seem  to  take  to  Harvey  last  winter, 
Milly.  I  want  you  to.  He  's  got  muscle,  but  he 's  got 
brains  too,  lots  of  them.  And  he's  a  good  fellow. 
He  said  he  would  come  in  to-night,  with  a  friend  of 
his,  and  I  hope  he  will.  I  want  you  to  like  him." 

"  I  will.    The  friend,  you  mean  ?  " 

"  No,  Harvey."  Here  Ethel  made  a  run  of  eleven 
and  won  the  game. 

"Let's  sit  down  and  talk  about  your  cousin,"  said 
Milly.  "  I  'm  not  of  your  force  in  billiards." 

So  they  sat  down,  Milly  curling  her  feet  under  her 
comfortably,  in  one  of  the  great  leather-covered  arm 
chairs.  "  Is  this  friend  who 's  coming  to-night  the 
one  who  supplies  the  ideas  ?  "  she  began. 

"  Not  at  all.  That 's  the  Reverend  Marcus  some 
thing  —  I  never  can  remember  his  name  —  Upham, 
that 'sit." 

"  And  he 's  the  one  who  thinks  it 's  good  for  me  to 
work,"  said  Milly,  with  a  pucker  of  her  brows  and  a 
compression  of  her  lips.  "  I  should  like  half  an  hour's 
interview  with  him." 

"You  won't  get  it  here." 

The  contrast  of  the  two,  as  they  sat,  was  interest 
ing.  Ethel  was  perfectly  quiet.  Her  figure  filled  the 
great  chair  with  lines  soft  and  flowing,  but  ample  in 
their  rounded  ease.  Her  face  was  not  inexpressive, 
but  as  quiet  as  her  figure.  Milly  was  all  motion,  all 


20          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

light,  all  grace,  her  fingers  spoke,  her  little  gray  slip 
per,  peeping  from  under  her  laced  petticoat,  spoke 
with  as  much  wayward  petulance  as  her  tongue. 

"  Oh,  you  don't  have  him  here  ?  "  she  said.  "  I  see. 
A  case  of  undue  influence.  Voice  of  the  charmer. 
A  serpent  in  this  Eden.  And  the  young  millionaire 
a  little  discontented  with  his  millionarity  ?  But  who 
would  believe  that  that  huge  hulk  of  football-ridden 
flesh  would  ever  have  a  conscience?  Tell  me  all 
about  it."  She  shook  the  refractory  petticoat  down 
over  the  talkative  slipper,  in  a  vain  attempt  to  si 
lence  it. 

"  How  you  rattle  on  !  "  began  Ethel  deliberately. 

"  Like  peas  in  a  bladder,"  the  irrepressible  sug 
gested. 

"Exactly.  But  I  can't  tell  you  much  about  Mr. 
Upham.  Harvey  got  acquainted  with  him  last  year 
when  he  was  in  the  theological  school.  Harvey  goes 
to  the  Episcopal  Church,  you  know.  They've  been 
together  this  summer,  managing  a  boys'  camp  some 
where,  and  I  suppose  he  has  a  great  influence  over 
Harvey,  though  Harvey  does  n't  say  much  about  it. 
You  know,  we  're  not  a  family  to  talk." 

"  I  know." 

"  Papa  does  n't  talk  much  either,  but  I  don't  think 
he  likes  it  at  all.  He  has  counted  always  on  taking 
Harvey  into  business  with  him,  having  him  carry  on 


A   GAME    OF   BILLIARDS  21 

the  name  and  the  firm  and  all  that.  Now,  if  Harvey 
jumps  the  track,  it  will  come  awfully  hard  on  papa, 
and  he 's  not  in  first-class  condition  anyway." 

"And  will  he  jump  the  track?"  asked  Milly,  with 
much  curiosity. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  'm  sure.  He  went  into  the  office 
to-day,  and  if  he  likes  it,  it  may  be  all  right.  But  I 
have  my  doubts." 

Here  Miss  Erskine  sat  straight  up  and  clasped  both 
hands  round  one  knee.  "  Did  any  one  ever  hear  of 
such  foolishness?"  she  cried.  " Now  if  your  father 
would  offer  me  the  chance  to  go  into  his  business  ! 
And  yet  I  go  to  church  as  regularly  as  Mr.  — 
Upham? — himself.  But  I  don't  want  to  make  the 
world  over.  It 's  a  good  world,  I  think ;  especially 
if  you  can  ride  on  top.  Give  me  a  chance  like  that, 
and  I  would  ride  on  top.  How  I  would  hustle.  The 
schemes,  and  the  deals,  and  the  mergers,  and  the 
stock  watering,  and  all  the  wicked  rest  of  it.  But 
what  can  a  woman  do  ?  " 

"Marry,"  suggested  Ethel,  with  the  serenity  of  a 
person  whose  work  has  been  done  for  him. 

But  Milly  had  fallen  into  a  posture  of  dejection, 
with  her  head  leaning  forward  on  her  hand.  Even 
the  gray  slipper  hung  dejected,  limp,  and  did  not 
respond  to  this  friendly  hint. 

"Your  cousin?"  said  its  wearer,  with  melancholy 


22          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

languor.  u  If  he  were  going  to  carry  out  my  pro 
gramme,  I  might.  Then  I  could  be  the  power  be 
hind  the  counter,  or  counting-house,  or  whatever  you 
call  it.  But  he 's  not  the  one  to  carry  out  my  pro 
gramme.  Football,  fads,  and  friends  in  the  theolo 
gical  school  —  thank  you,  not  any  in  mine,  please." 

"  But  it  would  be  so  pleasant  to  me,"  Ethel  urged, 
almost  warm  in  her  manner. 

"  But  I  shan't  marry  to  be  pleasant  to  you,"  re 
turned  Milly,  much  warmer.  "  This  is  not  your  line, 
my  dear.  Leave  the  match-making  to  your  aunt, 
who,  by  the  way,  would  n't  make  this  match,  I  'm 
certain.  She  would  favor  another,  as  you  know. 
Indeed,  even  if  I  were  amorously  disposed  towards 
the  ingenuous  youth,  I  should  stand  back,  so  as  not 
to  interfere  with  you." 

"  Nonsense,"  answered  Ethel,  quickly  for  her,  and 
blushing  a  little.  "  Harvey  cares  nothing  for  me,  nor 
I  for  him,  in  that  way." 

"  Very  well."  And  Milly  settled  back  in  her  chair, 
slightly  bored.  "  Let's  talk  about  something  else. 
You  said  Mr.  Phelps  proposed  to  bring  a  friend  this 
evening.  From  the  theological  school,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Never !  "  was  the  energetic  reply.  "  This  is  Mr. 
Kent.  Quite  a  different  proposition." 

"  Kent  ?   Do  I  know  him  ?  " 

"  Know  of  him,  at  any  rate.    He  was  a  classmate 


A   GAME   OF  BILLIARDS  23 

of  Harvey's.  Now  he 's  a  newspaper  man,  and  a 
clever  one,  they  say.  I  'm  no  judge." 

"  Of  course  not,"  Milly  agreed,  with  affectionate 
candor.  "You  don't  mean  George  Kent?" 

" That's  the  one." 

"  The  author  of  '  Snap  Shots '  and  '  Moderate  Ex 
posures '?  How  can  he  be  just  out  of  college.  He's 
been  writing  those  things  for  a  couple  of  years,  at 
least." 

"  You  've  read  them,  have  you  ?  They  're  too  funny 
for  me.  Well,  he's  older  than  Harvey,  —  had  to  work 
his  way  through,  I  think.  At  any  rate,  you  have  the 
facts." 

Milly  sat  up  again.  "  Now  that 's  something  like," 
she  said.  "  George  Kent  —  and  the  Reverend  Marcus 
Upham — and  your  cousin  between  them.  What  a 
pretty  comedy?  And  your  father  and  his  millions, 
and  your  own  young  affections,  in  the  background,  to 
weight  it  into  melodrama,  or  even  a  sort  of  tragedy. 
Is  n't  it  charming !  I  hope  they  won't  forget  to  come. 
I  wish  now  the  Reverend  were  coming  too." 

Ethel  was  collecting  herself  to  express  a  decided 
disapproval  of  this  suggestion  when  Harvey  and  his 
friend  entered  the  room. 

George  Kent  was  somewhat  shorter  than  Harvey 
and  much  slighter.  He  had  gray  eyes  with  shrewd 
humor  in  them ;  also  his  mouth  was  broad,  as  be- 


24          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

comes  a  jester ;  and  the  up-and-down  furrows  in  his 
cheeks,  appropriate  to  that  vocation,  were  deepening. 
But  the  chin  showed  that  there  was  something  back 
of  the  jests. 

"  It  is  rude  to  talk  shop  to  a  stranger,"  began  Milly, 
as  soon  as  the  introductions  were  properly  over,  "  but 
of  course  we  all  feel  that  you  are  taking  snap  shots 
of  us,  Mr.  Kent,  and  we  might  as  well  say  so  at  once. 
You  will  never  see  any  of  your  friends,  in  future, 
except  posed.  It  must  be  very  disagreeable." 

"  I  never  take  my  friends,"  was  the  appreciative 
answer. 

"  I  should  certainly  not  choose  my  friends  among 
most  of  those  you  do  take,"  Miss  Erskine  continued. 

"  I  'm  sorry  they  don't  please  you." 

"  They  amuse  me,  —  which  is  much  better." 

"  Thanks.  But  to  return  to  the  original  point.  Don't 
you  think  it  would  be  very  satisfactory,  if  all  one's 
friends  lived  in  fear  of  the  camera  ?  '  Look  pleasant/ 
says  the  photographer.  I  like  the  advice." 

"No,"  said  Milly,  very  decidedly,  "I  had  rather 
my  friends  would  frown,  or  snarl,  or  sneer.  Fancy  the 
whole  world  varnished  with  a  photographer's  smile." 

At  this  point,  Ethel,  leaning  back  comfortably  in 
her  chair,  observed,  in  a  half-aside,  "  Harvey,  where 
do  we  come  in  ?  " 

"  Nowhere,"  was  the  placid  answer.    "  I  like  it." 


A   GAME   OF  BILLIARDS  25 

"  They  seem  to  think  you  like  to  talk,  Mr.  Kent," 
Milly  suggested.  "  Do  you  ?  " 

"  Did  they  mean  me?  No.  I  prefer  to  listen.  Lis 
tening  is  my  vocation.  I  find  it  charming.  I  listen 
from  morning  till  night  —  and  longer.  When  one 
has  once  learned  to  find  human  folly  amusing,  the 
delight  of  listening  is  simply  inexhaustible." 

"Thanks  —  for  humanity,"  interrupted  one  of  the 
listeners. 

"As  for  talking,  I  am  gradually  disacquiring  it, 
and  expect  to  end  in  total  dumbness.  Meanwhile 
some  remnants  of  habit  linger  by  me." 

As  the  talkative  members  left  a  slight  pause  here, 
to  show  they  could,  Ethel  suggested  billiards,  and 
she  and  Kent  were  pitted  against  the  other  two. 

"  It  will  be  fairer,"  said  Harvey,  when  Milly  urged 
her  inferiority  to  his  cousin.  "  George  listens  more 
than  he  plays." 

"  Mr.  Kent,"  asked  Milly,  while  Harvey  was  making 
an  extraordinary  run,  "  would  you  advise  me  to  go 
into  journalism?  I  have  often  thought  I  was  born 
for  it." 

"You've  written  pretty  verses,  probably.  Most 
women  go  into  journalism  on  the  strength  of  that, 
and  of  some  that  are  not  pretty.  Now  a  journalist 
doesn't  spend  much  time  writing  verses.  I  never 
wrote  one  myself,  that  I  remember,  —  and  don't  in- 


26          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

tend  to.  In  fact,  literature  has  n't  much  to  do  with  it. 
You  've  got  to  have  a  ready  pen,  and  think  of  what 
you  write,  not  of  how  you  write  it.  A  woman  who 
has  it  in  her  makes  a  good  one.  Only  you  've  got 
to  have  a  lot  of  —  well,  say  assurance." 

" I  have  a  lot  of  —  well,  say  assurance.  It's  my 
strong  point."  Here  Ethel  having  failed  to  score,  the 
speaker  leaned  half  across  the  table,  and,  balanced 
as  lightly  as  a  butterfly,  tried  a  difficult  shot  and 
made  it,  with  much  triumph. 

After  this,  all  parties  gave  their  attention  for  a  con 
siderable  time  strictly  to  the  game,  which  was  more 
even  than  might  have  been  expected,  owing  to  Milly's 
carelessness,  and  to  Ethel's  steady  fashion  of  hold 
ing  her  own  in  everything.  Milly  finally  got  a  little 
piqued,  however,  and  did  some  brilliant  work,  much 
to  Harvey's  satisfaction ;  so  that  in  the  end  they  went 
out  with  a  considerable  lead.  Then  Ethel  ordered 
things  to  drink,  Apollinaris  for  the  ladies  and  black 
and  white  highballs  for  the  gentlemen  ;  and  Milly 
and  Kent  talked,  while  the  others  sipped  and  listened. 

Something  was  said  of  teaching,  of  Milly's  unfit- 
ness  for  it,  in  her  own  opinion,  and  so  of  Harvey's 
efforts  to  teach  athletics  during  the  summer.  "  But 
he  'd  do  more  than  that  for  the  Reverend  Upham," 
said  Kent.  "  You  know  the  Reverend  Upham,  Miss 
Harper?" 


A   GAME    OF   BILLIARDS  27 

Ethel  signified  that  she  did  not,  and  something  in 
her  manner  even  implied  that  she  did  not  care  to. 

"  I  've  met  him  several  times,  under  Harvey's  aus 
pices,"  Kent  continued,  "  but  we  don't  mix.  He 's  a 
first  rate  fellow.  So  am  I.  But  he 's  a  saint." 

Milly  nodded.  "  I  know  that  kind,"  she  said.  "  To 
get  along  with  them  you  've  got  to  be  either  a  saint 
or  a  sinner." 

"  Just  so,  though  I  don't  know  which  you  think 
Harvey  is.  I  should  like  to  be  neither — or  both. 
Where  is  he  now,  Harvey,  did  you  say?" 

"  Rector  of  St.  Margaret's,  Roberts ville." 

"For  good?" 

"  No,  only  supplying,  for  a  few  months."  Harvey's 
manner  indicated  that  he  would  prefer  to  talk  about 
something  else  ;  but  this  did  not  disturb  his  friend  in 
the  least. 

"  The  truth  is,"  went  on  Kent  meditatively,  "  the 
Reverend  Marcus  ought  to  live  in  a  better  world 
than  this,  and  if  he  does  —  and  I  do  —  I  shall  desire 
more  love  and  knowledge  of  him,  as  the  other  fellow 
said.  But  here  he  is  always  looking  for  trouble.  He 
disbelieves  in  money,  in  pleasure,  and  in  laugh 
ter  ;  and  a  man  in  that  state  of  mind  had  better  get 
off  the  earth  —  in  my  opinion.  And  not  only  he 
does  n't  want  these  things  himself,  but  he  does  n't 
want  others  to  have  them.  Is  that  reasonable,  Miss 


28          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

Erskine  ?  "  He  paused  for  Scotch  and  soda  and  an 
answer. 

Milly  shook  her  head.  "  There  are  a  good  many 
like  that ;  and  the  trouble  generally  is  that  at  bottom 
they  want  the  things  themselves." 

Kent  shook  his  head,  in  his  turn.  "  No,  no.  That 
is  n't  the  Reverend  Marcus  either.  He  is  white  all 
through.  But  he 's  so  desperately  in  earnest.  When 
you  know  you  're  living  a  worldly  life,  you  don't  care 
to  have  a  shining  example  of  the  contrary  always 
before  you.  Really,  it 's  quite  done  up  poor  Harvey 
here ;  I  'm  not  sure  but  he  '11  end  in  the  pulpit,  and 
of  course  he  's  ludicrously  unfitted  for  it.  He  knows 
how  to  enjoy  life  reasonably  well  —  not  as  I  could, 
or  as  you  could,  Miss  Erskine.  But  think  of  the 
chance  he  has,  everything  before  him  —  the  wide 
world  to  choose  from.  Now  it  seems  to  me  it 's  up 
to  us  to  bring  him  into  better  ways,  and  that 's  why 
I  introduced  Upham  into  this  conversation,  where 
he  is,  indeed,  singularly  out  of  place.  But  Satan, 
too,  ought  to  have  his  missionaries,  and  I  am  of 
them." 

Harvey  did  not  appear  very  much  disturbed  by 
this  tirade,  but  sat,  in  apparent  contentment,  sipping 
his  somewhat  worldly  beverage  and  chiefly  watching 
Milly,  who  was  agreeable  to  watch. 

Leaving  the  Reverend  Marcus  and  serious  sub- 


A   GAME    OF  BILLIARDS  29 

jects,  the  conversation  ran  on  various  commonplace 
matters  till  the  men  took  their  leave. 

Later,  Milly  and  Ethel  talked  over  their  visitors. 

"  Mr.  Kent  has  some  of  your  qualities,"  said  Ethel. 

"  Almost  all  the  bad  ones.  I  think  I  could  make  a 
journalist  just  the  same." 

"  You  can't  deny  that  Harvey  plays  a  good  game 
of  billiards." 

"  Uncommon.  If  life  were  a  game  of  billiards  — 
and  I  'm  not  sure  it  would  n't  be  better,  if  it  were  — 
I  would  ask  for  no  other  husband.  But  it  is  n't.  So 
if  either  of  us  is  to  be  Satan's  missionary  and  defeat 
the  machinations  of  the  Reverend  Marcus,  it  will  have 
to  be  you." 

"  No,"  answered  Ethel.  "  I  shall  never  love  any 
body.  I  'm  too  solid." 

"  That  has  nothing  to  do  with  it.  If  I  never  love, 
it  will  be  because  I'm  too  light.  But  you  might 
marry,  all  the  same." 

To  this  Ethel  made  no  answer. 


CHAPTER   III 

GLORIA 

ON  a  bright  afternoon,  near  the  end  of  January, 
Ethel,  Milly,  Kent,  and  Harvey  were  riding  together 
in  the  country.  The  roads  were  thickly  covered  with 
smooth,  well-trodden  snow,  and  the  keen  air  made  the 
horses  glad  to  travel  ten  miles  an  hour,  without  urging. 

"  Why  did  you  put  Miss  Erskine  on  Gloria?  "  Har 
vey  had  asked  Ethel  at  starting. 

"  Because  my  own  hundred  and  sixty-two  pounds 
is  too  much  for  her.  And  why  should  n't  I  ?  " 

"  No  reason  ;  only  I  don't  trust  her." 

"Such  a  compliment  to  me,"  Milly  interrupted. 
"  But  I  can  ride,  Mr.  Phelps,  all  the  same,  even  if  I 
don't  look  it.  Gloria  and  I  shall  get  on  famously." 

So  to  all  appearances  they  did,  in  spite  of  the  little 
brown  mare's  evident  skittishness ;  and  Harvey  had 
the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  his  ill-timed  solicitude 
had  merely  annoyed  the  person  he  was  most  desir 
ous  of  pleasing.  "  Hard  luck,"  he  thought  to  himself, 
11  that  when  a  man  can't  say  much  any  way,  what 
he  does  say  should  always  be  the  wrong  thing." 


GLORIA  31 

But  no  one  could  long  have  been  either  solicitous 
or  annoyed  under  that  cloudless  winter  sky,  with  the 
wide  sparkle  and  glitter  of  the  white  landscape,  the 
bright  north  wind,  and  the  clear  jingle  of  passing 
bells.  It  is  charming  to  ride  on  summer  evenings, 
in  the  moonlight,  through  long  lanes,  cool  with  dewy 
shadow ;  but  the  perfection  of  riding  is  on  a  mid 
winter  afternoon,  over  the  snow. 

When  the  breadth  and  openness  of  the  roads  per 
mitted,  the  riders  sometimes  went,  for  a  little  dis 
tance,  four  abreast ;  but  for  the  most  part  they  were 
separated  into  pairs,  now  in  one  combination,  now 
in  another. 

"  Most  of  my  riding  has  been  done  abroad,"  said 
Milly  to  Kent,  as  they  found  themselves  side  by  side. 
"  I  am  not  used  to  this  snow  performance." 

" But  you  like  it?" 

"  Of  all  things.  Only  it  makes  one  want  to  go.  I 
should  rather  like  to  be  run  away  with." 

"  I  am  afraid  you  want  life  to  be  highly  seasoned." 

"  It  could  n't  be  too  highly  seasoned  for  me.  Mus 
tard,  pepper,  vinegar,  onions,  spices,  or,  if  you  like, 
garlic.  And  instead,  my  life  is  one  long  meal  of  un- 
salted  breakfast  food.  You  know  the  flavor?" 

"  Or  lack  of  it."  Kent  nodded.  But  here  the  neces 
sity  of  increasing  their  speed  to  overtake  the  others 
interrupted  conversation  for  a  little  while. 


32          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  Do  you  know,  after  all,"  Kent  resumed  at  length, 
"it's  a  commonplace,  but  I  think  work  makes  the 
best  seasoning.  I  wouldn't  change  with  our  friends 
ahead  there." 

"  I  would,"  returned  Milly  shortly.  "  I  want  riches 
and  ease  and  no  work  at  all.  Work  is  the  breakfast 
food  to  me.  If  I  had  Ethel's  money,  I  could  provide 
myself  with  seasoning  enough." 

"  I  dare  say.  Probably  I  should  n't  refuse.  But  I 
am  willing  and  glad  to  make  my  own  way.  So  far 
I  've  always  had  to,  and  I  like  the  sense  of  cutting 
and  hacking  and  hewing  for  myself  into  the  quarry 
of  Fortune." 

"  That 's  well  enough  for  a  man,"  was  the  sarcastic 
answer.  "  But  when  the  quarry  of  Fortune  is  a  young 
lady's  finishing  school,  sometimes  I  feel  as  if  I  should 
like  to  hack  and  hew  into  it,  —  but  it  would  n't  do,  it 
wouldn't  do." 

Meanwhile  Harvey  and  Ethel  rode  in  front,  and 
conversed  more  seriously.  "  Papa  was  talking  of  you 
last  night,"  began  the  latter. 

"Was  he?"  was  the  somewhat  limited  answer. 

"  He  was  speaking  again  of  how  much  you  seem 
to  take  to  business  and  what  a  natural  taste  you 
have  for  it." 

" He  doesn't  say  so  to  me." 

"No,  that  wouldn't  suit  his  ideas  of  discipline. 


GLORIA  33 

But  he  told  me  they  say  at  the  office  that  very  few 
young  men  learn  the  routine  so  quickly  as  you 
have." 

Apparently  her  companion  did  not  feel  that  this 
called  for  any  reply  whatsoever. 

In  a  few  moments  Ethel  began  again.  "  I  was  very 
glad  to  hear  papa  speak  so,  Harvey." 

She  obviously  looked  for  some  response  ;  so  Har 
vey  made  one.  "  I  am  very  glad  I  have  been  able  to 
please  him,"  he  said. 

"  I  don't  think  you  quite  realize  all  that  it  means  to 
papa,"  Ethel  went  on.  "  It  is  as  hard  for  him  to  talk 
as  it  is  for  you.  Even  to  me  he  does  n't  often  say 
much  of  what  he  feels.  But  he  is  really  a  great  castle- 
builder,  papa  is.  All  his  fortune  is  just  a  castle  in  the 
air  to  him.  He  does  n't  care  anything  about  the  plain 
dollars  and  cents  of  it.  But  he  likes  the  building,  and 
you  have  grown  to  be  part  of  it,  such  a  main  part  of 
it  that  almost  everything  turns  on  you.  He  wants  to 
take  you  into  all  his  plans,  to  turn  over  everything  to 
you  gradually,  more  and  more,  and  finally,  to  make 
his  castle  yours.  Do  you  see  ?  " 

"  I  see,"  answered  Harvey  thoughtfully.  "  I  under 
stand  it  all  well  enough.  Hardly  a  fellow  I  know  but 
would  think  it  was  the  chance  of  a  lifetime." 

"But  you  don't?" 

He  drew  his  horse  a  little  nearer  to  hers.    "  That 's 


34          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

the  worst  of  it.  I  don't  know  whether  I  do  or  not 
And  I  'm  ashamed  of  my  uncertainty." 

"  Do  you  mean  you  don't  like  it  ?  Of  course,  I  sup 
pose,  at  the  beginning  it  must  be  mainly  drudgery." 

"  It  is  n't  drudgery  to  me,"  was  the  earnest  answer. 
"  I  like  every  bit  of  it.  I  don't  care  so  much  about 
the  money  ;  though  I  admit  I  like  that.  But  business 
itself  suits  me,  as  I  knew  it  would.  The  air  of  State 
Street  excites  me.  I  'm  sorry  to  leave  it  at  night.  I 
like  the  men.  I  like  the  whole  thing." 

"Well,  then  ?"  Ethel  asked,  in  a  puzzled  tone. 

"  Well,"  he  repeated  reluctantly.  "  I  like  it,  every 
bit  of  it ;  but  the  more  I  see  of  it  the  more  I  see  of 
its  selfishness.  It 's  a  great  machine  that  grinds  up 
everything,  without  pity  or  mercy  —  a  great  fight, 
with  no  quarter.  There  's  no  place  for  love  or  con 
sideration  for  others.  The  strongest  comes  to  the  top. 
Uncle  is  strong.  I  like  to  think  I  'm  strong.  But  it 's 
bad  for  the  weak  ones." 

"  Life  is  bad  for  the  weak  ones,"  said  Ethel.  "  Life 
must  be  in  a  great  degree  selfish,  must  n't  it?" 

"  I  don't  know.    I  don't  want  to  think  so." 

But  it  was  too  cold  to  walk  and  talk  longer,  and 
all  four  here  broke  into  a  rapid  trot.  They  were  pass 
ing  over  a  great  sweep  of  open  hillside.  Below  them 
the  country  fell  away  to  the  east,  and  the  slant  after 
noon  sun  reddened  the  snow  on  the  distant  slopes  and 


GLORIA  35 

set  the  icicles  glittering  and  sparkling.  The  naked 
branches  of  the  trees  were  cut  sharp  against  the  sky, 
the  elms  in  fragile  tracery,  the  oaks  stiff  and  rugged, 
the  apple  boughs  intertwined  in  a  fantastic  tangle. 
The  smoke  from  a  distant  train  faded  dimly  off  into 
the  clear  blue. 

At  a  fork  in  the  road  the  two  leaders  paused  for 
the  others  to  come  up,  so  that  they  might  decide  on 
their  route.  "  We  '11  ride  together  now,"  said  Milly 
to  Ethel,  "  and  let  the  men  talk  us  over." 

"  We  could  do  it  as  well  later,"  Kent  suggested ; 
but  nevertheless  they  adopted  Milly's  arrangement. 

When  there  came  a  moment  suitable  for  conver 
sation,  Kent  said :  "I  hope  it  won't  be  long  before 
you  announce  your  engagement." 

"To  whom?"  asked  Harvey  in  astonishment. 

"  Well,  if  you  don't  know,  I  'm  sure  I  don't."  And 
Kent  laughed  pleasantly.  Then  he  added,  "  There 
are  n't  many  fellows  who  would  hesitate,  when  they 
saw  the  chance  of  a  girl  like  that  —  and  all  that  goes 
with  her." 

"You  mean  my  cousin?" 

"  Whom  else  should  I  mean?" 

Harvey  jerked  his  horse's  head,  with  an  irritability 
which  was  hardly  caused  by  any  action  of  the  ani 
mal.  "  To  hear  you  talk,  George,  one  would  think 
you  much  more  mercenary  than  you  really  are." 


36          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  Implying  that  I  really  am  mercenary  enough.  I 
don't  pretend  to  be  anything  I  'm  not,  I  hope." 

"I'm  not  sure  about  that.  I  don't  think  you  would 
marry  a  girl  simply  because  she  was  rich." 

"  I  might.  I  may.  But  as  you  know,  this  case  is  n't 
simple  at  all.  The  girl  loves  you." 

"  Nonsense ! " 

"Well,  there  is  all  of  love  that  really  counts. 
Everything  is  suitable  and  proper  and  fortunate." 

"  Why  not  marry  her  yourself,  George,  if  the  match 
seems  so  desirable  ?  And  go  into  the  business,  and 
succeed  my  uncle,  and  end  up  a  multi-millionaire,  if 
you  think  so  much  of  it  ?  " 

Kent  looked  at  his  companion  with  a  mixture  of 
contempt  and  curiosity.  "  I  might,  you  know,  if  she 
would  have  me,  simply  for  the  sake  of  teaching  you 
a  lesson.  You  would  go  into  the  church,  I  suppose, 
and  vow  the  three  vows  of  Saint  Francis." 

"  Oh,  I  —  I  would  marry  Miss  Erskine  —  if  she 
would  have  me." 

"  Harvey,"  —  Kent  spoke  with  genuine  earnestness 
this  time,  —  "  I  don't  know  whether  you  are  serious; 
but  I  have  had  some  suspicion  of  this.  Miss  Erskine 
is  charming,  I  grant.  But  she  is  n't  your  kind." 

"Nor  I  hers,  unfortunately."  Harvey's  answer 
showed  more  feeling  than  anything  he  had  yet  said. 
"  Sometimes  I  have  thought  she  was  your  kind." 


GLORIA  37 

"  So  have  I,"  was  Kent's  prompt  response.  "  And 
I  'd  do  everything  I  could  to  make  sure  of  it,  if  it 
would  save  you  from  such  a  piece  of  folly." 

"Rivals,  then?" 

"  Nonsense,"  said  Kent  roughly.  "  But  the  ab 
surdity  of  such  an  idea  on  your  part  is  too  much." 

Here  they  were  interrupted  by  an  unusually  noisy 
automobile,  which,  tearing  up  from  behind,  set  both 
their  horses  capering.  The  trouble  for  them  was  in 
significant.  Not  so  for  Milly.  Gloria  shied  sharply  as 
the  machine  went  by,  shook  her  rider  so  that  she  lost 
a  stirrup  and  with  it  her  control,  and  then  darted  off 
at  full  gallop  into  a  narrow  side  street. 

Harvey  appreciated  the  situation  in  a  moment  and 
was  in  his  element.  Action — that  touched  every  nerve 
in  his  body.  Tightening  the  reins,  and  urging  his  big 
horse  to  speed  at  once,  he  called  to  Ethel  and  Kent  to 
come  slowly  after  him,  and  then  followed  Milly  and 
Gloria  down  the  narrow  road.  The  chase  was  sharp 
but  brief,  for  Harvey  knew  his  horse  to  perfection. 
Ranging  up  quietly  and  evenly  by  Milly' s  side,  with 
out  making  the  least  effort  to  touch  the  little  mare 
himself,  he  simply  spoke,  in  a  voice  which  Milly  had 
never  heard  him  use  before,  deep,  determined,  yet 
gentle  also,  "  Gloria !  Gloria  !  Steady,  old  girl." 

The  mare  lifted  her  ears,  her  muscles  relaxed  a 
little,  her  pace  slackened. 


38          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  Gloria !   Steady,  old  girl.    Quiet,  Gloria." 

Before  Milly  knew  it  her  foot  was  back  in  the  stir 
rup,  and  her  horse  and  Harvey's  were  walking  quietly 
side  by  side,  with  no  sign  of  the  gallop  except  the 
quick  pants  and  Gloria's  trembling. 

"  You  got  me  out  of  a  very  disagreeable  situation," 
said  Milly,  when  she  had  breath  enough.  "Thank 
you." 

"  Bother ! "  was  the  short  reply.  "  Can  I  do  any 
thing  else  for  you  ?  " 

"  If  you  had  a  few  hairpins,"  Milly  suggested.  "  I 
suppose  you  have  n't." 

"No.    I'm  sorry." 

"  And  all  those  useless  pockets,  too.  Every  man 
should  carry  hairpins.  I  shall  have  to  go  home  in 
a  pigtail,  that 's  all."  Taking  off  her  hat  she  shook 
down  her  hair,  with  the  prettiest  gesture  that  a  wo 
man  makes,  and  was  braiding  it  deftly  when  Ethel 
and  Kent  appeared. 

"Oh,"  said  Ethel,  "it  was  all  my  fault.  That 
wretched  Gloria ! " 

"No,"  objected  Milly,  with  decision,  "  it  was  this 
stupid  cross-saddle  fashion  of  riding.  If  I  had  stuck 
to  my  old  ways,  the  more  she  jumped,  the  better  I 
should  have  liked  it.  But  what  are  you  doing,  Mr. 
Phelps?" 

For  Harvey  had  got  Kent  to  hold  the  horses,  while 


GLORIA  39 

he  himself  was  exchanging  Milly's  saddle  for  Kent's. 
"  I  think  you  had  better  shift,"  he  answered. 

"  How  absurd,"  was  her  petulant  comment.  "  Do 
you  suppose  I  am  going  to  give  up  for  a  mere  acci 
dent  like  that  ?  Besides,  how  will  Mr.  Kent  look  on 
such  a  little  creature  ?  Certainly  I  shall  ride  Gloria." 

"  I  think  it  will  be  better  not."  Harvey  continued 
his  preparation  with  quiet  persistence,  as  if  he  had 
not  heard  her  speech  at  all. 

"  But,  Mr.  Phelps,"  began  Milly  in  wrath.  Then 
she  thought  better  of  it  and  said  no  more. 

On  their  way  home  she  and  Harvey  rode  together ; 
but  they  trotted  along  rapidly  and  had  little  to  say  to 
each  other.  Finally,  however,  at  a  favorable  oppor 
tunity  Milly  broke  the  silence,  not  wishing  to  appear 
wholly  ungracious.  "  I  shall  never  forget  the  way 
you  quieted  that  horse.  You  must  have  a  wonderful 
power." 

"Yes,  I  've  sometimes  thought  so  myself,"  was  the 
sarcastic  answer.  "  Still,  as  I  've  known  her  from  a 
colt  and  she  me,  it  is  n't  quite  so  extraordinary." 

"  You  need  n't  laugh.  It  is  n't  a  common  thing  to 
be  able  to  control  animals  like  that." 

"  No.  I  might  set  up  a  circus.  It  would  suit  me 
rather  well." 

"  Anybody  who  can  master  animals  can  master 


40          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"And  women?" 

"Ah,  as  to  that  I  don't  say.  But  you  ought  to 
profit  by  your  gifts,  and  not  neglect  them." 

"  I  should  like  to,  if  I  could  find  out  the  line  they 
go  in.  I  have  n't  yet.  Now  if  I  could  get  a  person  of 
discretion  to  guide  me,  like  you,  for  instance  "  — 

"I  discreet?  I  have  never  yet  been  able  to  guide 
myself,  —  and  I  have  no  gifts  either." 

But  Ethel  and  Kent,  who  rode  in  front,  were  nearly 
out  of  sight,  and  it  was  necessary  to  break  off  the 
conversation  at  this  point. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  REVEREND  MARCUS 

IN  the  latter  part  of  March,  Harvey  went  to  Roberts- 
ville  to  spend  a  Sunday  with  the  Reverend  Marcus 
Upham.  During  the  winter  they  had  had  some  irreg 
ular  correspondence  ;  but  Harvey  was  no  great  letter- 
writer,  and  his  interests  and  surroundings  were  not 
such  as  seemed  especially  to  suggest  communication 
with  his  clerical  friend.  As  the  months  wore  on,  how 
ever,  and  the  various  problems  of  life  became  more 
complicated,  a  long  talk  with  Marcus,  on  everything 
and  everybody,  seemed  more  and  more  attractive. 

It  was  a  sweet,  soft,  spring-like  morning.  The  south 
wind  chased  the  great  white  clouds  swiftly  over  the 
blue  heavens.  Harvey  sat  in  a  back  pew  of  the  quiet 
old  church,  which  had  no  stained  glass  to  shut  out 
the  beauty  of  nature,  and  at  first  his  thoughts  wan 
dered  often  to  the  wind-swept  sky  and  the  slow  wav 
ing  of  the  bare  branches,  traced  blackly  against  the 
sunlight.  But  the  service  and  the  immediate  sur 
roundings  soon  held  his  attention  altogether.  He  had 
been  to  church  faithfully  during  the  winter,  as  usual ; 


42          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

but  the  city  congregation,  carrying  their  everyday 
thoughts  into  their  religion,  had  seemed  to  him  cold 
and  indifferent,  and  he  had  begun  to  wonder  whether 
the  service  of  Mammon,  in  which  he  had  engaged, 
was  already  swallowing  him  up  so  completely  as  to 
dull  all  sensibility  to  the  higher  and  more  spiritual 
side  of  life.  He  had  never,  in  his  younger  days, 
reached  the  definite  point  of  confirmation,  never  been 
able  quite  to  bring  himself  to  the  attitude  of  thought 
which  seemed  to  him  necessary  for  coming  out  openly 
on  the  side  of  Christ.  Indeed,  his  intellectual  make 
up  was  so  clearly  and  forcibly  logical,  that  he  felt 
as  if  a  positive  acceptance  of  the  Christian  standard 
ought  to  carry  with  it  much  more  in  the  way  of  prac 
tical  living  than  it  is  commonly  taken  to  do,  and  it 
was  in  regard  to  this  very  question  of  practical  living 
that  all  his  doubts  and  difficulties  had  arisen. 

In  times  past,  however,  church  had  meant  a  great 
deal  to  him ;  and  now,  suddenly,  those  old,  remem 
bered  feelings  came  back  with  all,  and  almost  more 
than  all,  their  former  force.  He  saw  the  pure,  pale, 
saintly  face  of  his  friend,  with  the  thin  lips,  the  high 
forehead,  the  earnest  eyes.  He  heard  the  deep,  strong 
voice,  touched  with  solemn  fervor,  uttering  the  pas 
sionate  pleadings  of  the  Litany,  or  making  its  own 
personal  appeal  in  unwritten  sentences  that  came 
straight  from  the  heart.  And  he  forgot  his  uncle,  for- 


THE    REVEREND    MARCUS        43 

got  State  Street,  forgot  the  jar  and  clatter  of  the  dens 
of  Mammon,  forgot  the  good-natured  cynicism  of 
Kent  and  the  easy  Epicureanism  of  Ethel  —  almost 
forgot  Milly  Erskine.  Only  —  he  did  not  quite  forget 
her.  Her  subtle,  mocking,  irritating  eyes  danced  still 
vaguely  beyond  his  own  closed  lids,  flashed  from  the 
shadows  of  the  chancel,  laughed  from  the  corner  of 
the  pulpit,  in  bold  defiance  of  Marcus  and  all  his  elo 
quence.  What  would  she  think  of  all  this?  What 
would  she  say  of  it  ?  For  she  always  said  what  she 
thought.  The  idea  spread  a  shadow  of  vexation  over 
the  morning's  perfect  peace.  And  Harvey  asked 
himself  if  he  loved  Milly  Erskine,  and  was  not  she, 
after  all,  the  personification  of  what  he  most  felt  that 
he  ought  to  avoid? 

In  the  afternoon  the  two  friends  took  a  long  tramp 
together.  This  was  by  no  means  Marcus's  habit  of  a 
Sunday,  there  being  many  other  more  pressing  de 
mands  upon  his  time ;  but  Harvey  begged  for  a  good 
talk,  without  risk  of  interruption,  and  the  young  min 
ister,  understanding  something  of  his  companion's 
needs,  agreed,  for  once,  to  put  aside  other  duties. 

The  New  England  March  has  been  very  much 
abused,  and  deserves  it.  Yet  it  gives  us  days  which 
can  hardly  be  paralleled  in  the  year,  and  this  was  one 
of  them.  The  winter  had  broken  early  ;  and  though 
patches  of  snow,  even  long  drifts,  lingered  in  shady 


44          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

corners  and  on  the  northern  slope  of  the  hills,  the 
open  fields  were  bare,  and  the  plowed  ground  spread 
great,  shining  stretches  to  the  warm  sunlight.  The 
James  River,  which  flows  through  Robertsville,  was 
swollen  to  its  brim,  and  hurried  its  smooth,  strong 
current  along  the  road  on  which  our  walkers  set 
out,  and  every  little  brook  that  came  bubbling  into 
it  was  overcharged  with  the  chill  outcome  of  the  re 
cent  thaw.  Overhead  the  buds  were  swelling,  like 
the  brooks,  and  the  blackbirds  and  song  sparrows 
filled  the  air  with  music. 

Even  now  that  the  time  had  come,  Harvey  found 
it  hard  to  begin  talking  about  himself.  At  first  he 
asked  a  few  questions  as  to  Marcus's  occupations 
and  interests ;  and  the  latter  was  ready  enough  to 
answer,  telling  of  his  difficulties  in  arousing  any 
deep  feeling  in  an  old,  staid,  long-established  par 
ish.  Harvey  listened,  perhaps  without  understanding 
very  much.  Then  for  a  time  they  walked  in  silence, 
pausing  to  see  the  river  sweep  smoothly  under  an 
old  arched  bridge  and  to  hear  the  redwinged  black 
bird  herald  spring  with  his  reedy  cry. 

"Well,"  said  Marcus  at  length,  as  they  proceeded, 
"and  how  have  you  enjoyed  your  winter?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  doubtful  answer. 

"  Don't  know  ?  Yet  I  can  understand  that.  It  has 
been  a  new  world  for  you,  —  so  many  different  ele- 


THE    REVEREND    MARCUS         45 

ments  mixed  and  striving  together.  Can't  you  tell 
me  all  about  it?  It  is  a  strange  world  to  me." 

For  the  moment,  Harvey  did  not  seem  disposed 
to  reply,  but  walked  on,  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  dis 
tant  hills,  beautiful  with  swift  changes  of  light  and 
shadow ;  then  he  said  abruptly,  "  Marcus,  what  do 
you  think  about  the  right  and  wrong  of  business,  — 
of  all  this  money-getting  ?  " 

It  was  Marcus's  turn  now  to  hesitate  before  he  an 
swered  :  "  It 's  a  big  question.  You  ought  to  know 
more  about  it  than  I  do,  by  this  time,  from  actual 
experience." 

"  I  don't.  The  more  I  see  of  it,  the  more  muddled 
I  get." 

"Yet,"  continued  Marcus,  still  with  hesitation,  "one 
would  think  there  was  only  one  right  and  wrong,  — 
for  business,  as  for  other  things." 

"  That  is  easy  to  say ;  but  it  does  n't  seem  to  work 
in  practical  life.  There  are  almost  as  many  standards 
as  there  are  men, — or  even  each  man  seems  to  have 
several." 

Marcus's  reply  this  time  was  decided,  perhaps  a  lit 
tle  cold.  "  There  has  always  been  an  infinity  of  false 
standards.  The  true  standard  —  the  Christian  stand 
ard —  is  simple  —  and  single  —  so  it  seems  to  me." 

"  It  may  be  so  — in  the  abstract."  Harvey  looked 
straight  at  his  friend,  with  a  weary  bewilderment  in 


46          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

the  brown  eyes.  "  I  suppose  the  standard  is  sim 
ple  in  itself.  It's  the  application  that  bothers.  Is  it 
strictly  honest  to  be  within  the  law  and  no  more  ? 
Is  it  enough  to  be  honest?  Does  mere  honesty 
leave  any  room  for  generosity  and  pity  and  sym 
pathy  ?  Is  it  right  to  be  rich  at  all  ?  and  if  so,  how 
rich  ?  Is  it  possible  to  be  rich  without  making  others 
poor?" 

Again  Marcus  was  silent  for  a  little  while.  A  nut 
hatch  hopped  up  an  elm-tree  as  they  passed,  and 
then  hopped  back  again,  squeaking  merrily,  as  if  to 
show  how  possible  it  is  to  live  happy  in  a  world  that 
is  upside  down. 

"  Big  questions,"  said  Marcus  at  last,  "  big  ques 
tions,  Harvey.  Who  am  I  that  I  should  answer  them  ? 
I  suppose  the  world  will  go  on  for  a  great  many  years 
as  it  has  gone.  It  is  difficult  to  see  any  practical  way 
of  abolishing  the  right  of  private  property.  Yet,  as 
you  say,  to  be  rich  means  simply  making  some  one 
else  poor." 

"  Still,"  Harvey  argued,  quite  consciously  repeat 
ing  his  uncle,  "in  most  cases  the  poor  are  respon 
sible  for  their  own  poverty.  Foolish  extravagance 
and  self-indulgence  "  — 

But  Marcus  interrupted,  with  some  sharpness. 
"  They  are  teaching  you  the  lesson,  I  see,"  he  said. 
"  Oh,  the  pity  of  it !  Who  denies  the  folly  and  the 


THE    REVEREND    MARCUS         47 

extravagance  ?  The  mass  of  men  are  foolish,  extrav 
agant,  short-sighted,  prone  to  forget  the  need  of  the 
future  in  the  desire  of  the  present.  The  mass  of  men 
are  children, — that  is  it,  children, — not  criminals.  Is 
that  any  reason  why  those  who  are  shrewd  and  far- 
sighted  and  selfish  —  for  the  folly  of  the  children  is 
so  often  a  generous  and  loving  folly  —  should  take 
advantage  of  the  others'  weakness  to  get  pleasure  and 
power  and  prudent  self-indulgence  for  themselves? 
I  condemn  no  one.  How  should  I  ?  Men  will  do  as 
their  fathers  have  done  before  them.  I  have  seen 
enough  of  business  men  to  know  that  they  may  be 
generous,  may  be  charitable  ;  some  of  them  are  much 
better  Christians  than  I  can  ever  hope  to  be.  But  I 
like  to  imagine  a  world  where  the  perpetual  grind 
of  the  mill  may  be  abolished,  —  where  men  may  live 
for  each  other  a  little  more  than  they  do  now, — 
where  the  best  intelligence  and  power  of  mankind 
may  be  spent  on  overcoming  inequalities  instead  of 
augmenting  them." 

For  a  long  while  nothing  more  was  said  on  the 
subject.  Leaving  the  main  road,  they  turned  aside 
into  the  fields  and  then  climbed  a  bare,  double-peaked 
hill,  from  which  they  could  see,  far  away,  the  river 
winding,  twisting,  sparkling  in  the  sunlight,  and  all 
about  it  great  stretches  of  brown  field,  with  here  and 
there  a  patch  of  snow,  gleaming  dully.  The  warm, 


48          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

heavy  breath  of  spring  was  about  them,  filling  every 
cranny  and  crevice  of  the  damp  earth  with  life  and 
fertility.  They  sat  down  on  a  broad  shoulder  of  rock, 
which  was  heated  through  and  through,  and  listened 
in  silence  to  the  rich,  passionate  carol  of  a  bluebird, 
in  an  orchard  below. 

But  Harvey  had  not  yet  entirely  freed  his  mind. 
"  Of  course  you  understand  my  position  ?  "  he  said. 

Marcus  nodded.    "  In  part,  at  any  rate." 

"  My  uncle  has  watched  over  my  education  and 
cared  for  me  in  every  way,  since  my  parents  died. 
He  is  as  kind,  and  as  generous,  as  a  man  can  be.  He 
has  given  his  whole  life  to  his  business,  built  it  up 
from  the  ground.  It  is  his  pride  and  glory.  Now  his 
health  is  breaking  and  he  wants  me  to  take  it  over, 
carry  it  on,  and  develop  it  more  and  more,  in  memory 
of  him." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  before  Marcus  said : 
"Do  you  like  it?" 

"Yes,"  said  Harvey,  "  I  like  it.  It  suits  me.  But 
the  more  I  see  of  it,  the  more  it  troubles  me.  Things 
are  done  there  every  day  —  the  whole  tone  of  the 
place  —  well,  two  years  ago  I  should  have  gone 
right  into  it,  without  a  moment's  scruple.  But  I  have 
learned  to  know  you,  you  see,  and  your  ideas  make 
everything  different." 

Again  Marcus  stopped  to  think,  and  to  let  the  blue- 


THE    REVEREND    MARCUS         49 

bird  finish  his  phrase,  before  he  spoke.    "  There  is  a 
young  woman  in  the  case,  is  n't  there  ?  " 

Harvey  looked  up  in  surprise  from  the  stick  he 
was  whittling.  "  How  did  you  know  ?  "  he  asked. 

"A  step-daughter,  is  she?"  Marcus  went  on. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  answered  Harvey  indifferently.  "  That 
complicates  matters  somewhat.  Uncle  Amos  would 
like  me  to  marry  her ;  but  I  don't  think  she  'd  have 
me." 

"From  your  manner,  I  conclude  that  there  is  an 
other  young  woman." 

"Yes,"  said  Harvey,  looking  down  again,  and 
whittling  his  stick. 

"  It  is  a  little  unfortunate,"  went  on  Marcus,  with  a 
trace  of  humor,  "  that  so  much  sentiment  gets  mixed 
up  in  all  your  questions  of  conscience.  Your  position 
seemed  difficult  enough  in  itself,  without  the  intro 
duction  of  an  outsider,  who  is  probably  as  undesir 
able  from  your  uncle's  point  of  view  as  she  would  be 
from  mine.  Am  I  right?" 

"  Entirely.   That  is,  she  's  a  lady." 

"  I  don't  doubt  that.  But  to  please  your  uncle  you 
should  marry  your  cousin  and  stick  to  business.  If 
you  give  up  business,  you  will  hardly  please  this  — 
young  person.  Do  I  state  the  dilemma  ?  " 

"  You  do." 

Neither  seemed  to  have  anything  more  to  say  at 


50          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

that  moment,  and  as  it  was  growing  somewhat  cooler 
where  they  were,  they  arose  and  began  their  walk 
homeward. 

When  they  had  descended  the  hill  and  turned  into 
the  road  again,  Harvey  resumed  the  conversation : 
"  What  would  you  do  in  my  place  ? "  he  asked 
briefly. 

"  Really,  I  can  hardly  say.  You  seem  to  be  sur 
rounded  with  difficulties.  Doubtless,  you  have  a 
duty  to  your  uncle.  Yet  to  marry  your  cousin,  with 
out  loving  her,  even  if  she  would  marry  you,  seems 
out  of  the  question.  As  to  the  other  —  how  can  I  tell 
anything  about  her?  She  might  be  the  saving  of 
you."  Harvey's  countenance  expressed  some  doubt. 
11  In  any  case,  you  can  tell  the  right  thing,  I  'm  sure. 
That  isn't  so  hard.  The  difficulty  is  to  do  it  I  be 
lieve  in  you,  Harvey." 

"  Thank  you.    I  wish  I  believed  in  myself." 

They  spoke  no  more  of  these  serious  matters, 
either  then  or  afterwards. 

Harvey  went  dutifully  to  the  evening  service  ;  but 
something  was  wanting.  The  enthusiasm,  the  uplift 
ing  of  the  morning  did  not  come ;  and  the  image  of 
those  dancing  eyes  was  more  persistent  than  ever. 
After  all,  why  should  not  Milly  be  the  making  of 
him  ?  What  he  needed  was  a  will  in  that  great,  bulky, 
profitless  mass  of  flesh,  and  she  was  all  will,  all  fire. 


CHAPTER  V 

MILLY  DECLINES 

IT  was  a  warm  Sunday  afternoon  in  the  full  tide  of 
spring,  and  Harvey  and  Milly  were  walking  slowly 
out  into  the  Fenway  Park,  where  so  few  Bostonians 
think  of  seeking  the  real  flavor  of  the  country.  Milly 
was  dressed  in  a  light  gray  walking-suit,  with  here 
and  there  a  touch  of  blue,  and  carried  a  blue  and  gray 
sunshade.  She  was  charming  to  look  at.  So,  at  least, 
thought  Harvey. 

As  they  walked  slowly,  they  chatted  of  everything 
and  nothing,  that  is,  Milly  did,  and  Harvey  listened. 
She  gave  him  a  droll  sketch  of  her  school  life  and 
how  she  hated  it :  the  rich  girls,  with  their  imperti 
nent  snobbishness ;  the  pretty  girls,  with  their  airs 
and  vanities ;  the  dull  girls,  with  their  inconceivable 
capacity  of  non-comprehension  and  their  frenzy-pro 
voking  smile.  "  And  to  think  that  I  was  once  as  rich, 
as  pretty,  and  as  dull  as  any  of  them  !  And  used  to 
pass  all  my  time  admiring  my  clothes  and  myself  and 
complaining  that  I  was  bored.  How  little  I  knew  of 
boredom ! " 


52          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  Yet  Ethel  says  they  all  think  you  are  the  best 
teacher  they  ever  had." 

"  The  dears  !  Just  think  of  the  range  of  their  ex 
perience  !  And  then  Ethel  says  so.  And  Ethel  adores 
me." 

"  That  is  perfectly  natural,"  Harvey  suggested. 

"  Of  course.  Thank  you.  And  I  adore  Ethel.  I 
don't  think  you  half  appreciate  Ethel.  Because  she 's 
muscular  and  makes  absolutely  no  pretensions,  peo 
ple  are  disposed  to  slight  her.  But  her  disposition 
is  perfect.  She  does  no  end  of  kind  things,  and  she 
never  says  unkind  ones.  That 's  the  form  of  Christian 
charity  that  I  admire  most,  because  it 's  quite  beyond 
me." 

Harvey  made  no  reply,  not  being  especially  inter 
ested  in  Ethel's  good  qualities  at  that  moment. 

An  automobile  shot  past,  exceeding  the  speed 
limit,  as  usual.  "  How  much  nicer  it  is  to  walk," 
Milly  said,  "  so  one  can  hear  the  frogs." 

Indeed,  the  charm  of  spring  was  all  about  them. 
The  air  was  soft  and  heavy,  full  of  strange  sweetness. 
The  constant  music  of  the  frogs  was  broken  by  the 
reedy  cry  of  the  blackbird  and  the  sharp,  sweet  song 
of  the  sparrows. 

But  Milly  preferred  her  own  voice  to  any  sparrow's. 
"  I  like  your  uncle  so  much,  too,"  she  went  on.  "To 
be  sure,  he  's  no  talker  ;  but  what  he  does  say  means 


MILLY   DECLINES  53 

something.  How  is  it  that  he  gives  one  such  a  sense 
of  power,  when  he's  so  quiet?" 

"  Because  he  is  quiet,  perhaps." 

"  Perhaps  —  Only  I  've  known  people  who  were 
quiet  without  giving  one  a  sense  of  power  at  all.  I 
do  like  that  feeling  of  power  in  a  man.  And  so  gentle, 
with  it  all.  It  seems  impossible  that  he  should  be 
rough,  or  even  stern." 

"  Rough,  no,"  Harvey  agreed  ;  "  but  for  stern,  I 
think  you  'd  hate  to  see  him  when  he  wants  to  be.  He 
never  was  so  to  me.  But  the  other  day  a  boy  in  the 
office  was  caught  stealing.  Uncle  Amos  spoke  to  him 
—  about  ten  words  —  but  the  fellow  turned  as  pale  as 
chalk.  After  that  Uncle  Amos  was  gentle  and  agreed 
to  keep  him,  if  it  did  n't  happen  again.  It  never  will." 

"Ah,"  sighed  Milly,  "if  I  could  only  speak  ten 
words  and  make  any  one  look  pale." 

"  I  think  you  might,"  was  the  simple  comment. 

"No,  no,"  she  said.  "I  speak  a  thousand,  where 
one  might  answer." 

They  walked  for  a  few  moments  in  silence.  A  car 
riage  or  two  passed  them  and  a  solitary  cycler.  In 
the  distance  they  could  hear  the  puffing  of  trains  and 
the  rattle  of  trolley  cars,  yet  they  seemed  singularly 
secluded  and  alone. 

But  Milly  seemed  anxious  to  continue  the  subject. 
"  Your  uncle  was  saying,  the  other  night,  how  sue- 


54          BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

cessful  you  were  in  the  business,  and  how  much  you 
seemed  to  take  to  it." 

"Was  he?"  answered  Harvey  briefly.  "  I  try  to 
please  him." 

"  But  you  like  it  for  itself,  don't  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  do."  There  was  increasing  animation  in 
his  tone.  "  I  like  work.  I  like  excitement.  I  like 
struggle.  I  hate  to  sit  and  think.  Everything  is  full 
of  movement  down  there.  Every  one  is  eager  —  to 
get  something,  to  do  something.  I  suppose  a  good 
many  of  them  want  the  money  simply,  because  they 
need  it,  or  to  see  it  pile  up.  I  don't.  I  like  to  watch 
the  working,  to  test  my  brains  against  facts,  just  as 
I  used  to  my  muscles  in  football.  I  used  to  think  I 
should  like  to  play  football  all  my  life.  Well,  I  think 
Uncle  Amos  has  played  football  all  his  life  —  and  a 
sandy  game." 

Milly  stopped  short  and  turned  and  looked  at  him, 
her  eyes  sparkling :  "  How  I  should  like  it ! "  she 
said.  "  I  never  wished  to  be  a  man,  and  I  don't 
now.  But  I  do  envy  you  the  privilege  of  fighting.  I 
should  like  to  go  into  that  battle,  and  use  my  strength 
and  my  cunning,  and  triumph." 

Harvey  watched  her,  fascinated ;  but  in  an  instant 
her  mood  changed,  and  she  walked  on  soberly.  "  That 
sounds  feminine,  doesn't  it?  I'm  not  cruel  by  na 
ture,  you  know.  In  fact,  I  dare  say  the  relish  of  the 


MILLY   DECLINES  55 

triumph  would  be  all  lost  in  pity  for  the  victims  —  if 
there  were  any." 

"  There  are,"  said  Harvey,  "  lots  of  them.  That 
troubles  me  sometimes." 

"I  know,"  she  answered,  "I  remember  it's  trou 
bling  you.  But  one  can't  live,  if  one  has  too  many 
scruples." 

"  Exactly."  And  all  his  doubts  echoed  in  his  tone. 
"  One  might  have  scruples  about  the  air  one  breathes 
and  the  water  one  drinks.  Life  is  fighting.  One  can't 
give  up  and  be  nothing." 

She  nodded  in  approval.  "  The  world  runs  its 
course  and  we  can't  make  it  over  all  at  once.  See 
what  happens  to  those  who  try.  They  drive  their 
heads  against  a  wall  —  and  it  is  bad  for  their  heads. 
It  is  written  that  one  cannot  serve  God  and  Mam 
mon  ;  but  I  believe  we  should  —  not  serve  Mammon, 
perhaps,  but  use  him,  if  you  mean  by  Mammon  the 
beauty  and  the  luxury  and  the  comfort  of  life.  A  cell 
in  the  Chartreuse  might  have  its  charm  ;  but  I  am 
not  sure  it  was  right,  and  I  am  sure  it  was  n't  useful. 
We  help  the  world  by  living  in  it,  and  as  it  lives,  in 
a  certain  measure." 

So  speaking,  she  gave  to  Harvey's  scarce  formu 
lated  thought  a  grace,  a  sweet  seductiveness  pecul 
iarly  her  own.  After  all,  he  said  to  himself,  Marcus 
was  antiquated,  formal,  Puritanic.  He  was  ignorant 


56          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

of  life,  and  his  ignorance  made  life  seem  far  blacker 
than  it  was.  It  was  time  to  shake  off  his  influence 
and  be  one's  self  again. 

"  Let  us  sit  down  a  moment,"  said  Milly.  "  I  'm 
tired." 

They  sat  down  on  one  of  the  broad  stone  benches  ; 
and,  for  a  time,  there  was  silence.  Harvey  had  much 
to  say,  but  as  yet  he  could  not  say  it.  If  Milly  divined 
his  feelings  and  took  a  certain  pleasure  in  them,  who 
shall  blame  her  ?  That  sort  of  thing  was  her  football, 
and  without  it  she  sometimes  thought  the  monotony 
of  life  would  be  intolerable. 

Before  them  was  a  great  marsh,  just  blooming 
into  the  softest,  sweetest,  tenderest  green,  and  the  low 
sun  shot  golden  splendor  all  through  it,  mingling 
misty  light  with  dreamy  shadow.  Clumps  of  shrub 
bery,  here  and  there,  showed  delicate  with  the  half- 
covering  of  new  foliage.  Forsythia  bushes,  heavy 
with  blossoms,  sprayed  the  black  and  green  with 
radiant  yellow.  The  low,  deep  murmur  of  life  was 
everywhere,  in  the  rustle  of  the  west  wind,  in  the 
buzz  of  the  insects,  in  the  song  of  the  birds. 

"  Nature,"  said  Milly  softly,  waving  her  hand  with 
a  vague  gesture.  Then  she  turned  to  her  compan 
ion.  "  Do  you  —  a  —  care  for  nature  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Not  particularly,"  was  the  abstracted  answer. 

"  How  nice  of  you.    I  rather  do,  but  I  'm  ashamed 


MILLY   DECLINES  57 

of  it.  When  I  see  a  withered  crone  observing  a  small 
bird  through  an  opera-glass,  or  an  earnest  young 
woman,  fresh  from  college,  getting  near  to  nature  in 
the  company  of  a  disingenuous  young  man,  it  makes 
me  wish  I  might  never  see  a  green  thing  again. 
And,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  love  the  little  finger  of 
man  —  homo,  that  is  —  better  than  all  the  nature  be 
tween  this  and  China.  I  bore  you,  perhaps  ?  " 

"  Milly,"  said  Harvey,  —  and  though  the  attack 
did  not  wholly  surprise  her,  there  was  something  in 
his  tone  to  which  she  was  unused,  something  which 
brought  a  bit  of  color  to  her  cheek  and  turned  her 
eyes  towards  the  sunset,  —  "  Milly,  I  want  you.  My 
life  is  drifting.  I  want  you  to  give  it  aim  and  charac 
ter  and  purpose.  I  feel  as  if  I  had  it  in  me  to  do 
something  in  the  world.  I  Ve  got  a  sort  of  brains, 
perhaps.  But  I  'm  slow  and  dull  —  just  groping  my 
way.  You  see  things,  through  things,  over  things, 
everything.  Won't  you  come  to  me  and  be  my  eyes, 
help  me,  lead  me,  guide  me?  Milly ! " 

The  place  was  too  public  for  him  even  to  make  a 
move  to  take  her  hand ;  but  there  was  a  depth,  a 
richness  of  caressing  tenderness  in  his  voice,  which 
seemed  to  envelop  her  in  an  actual  embrace,  startled 
her,  made  her  look  involuntarily  for  the  glance  of 
intruding  curiosity,  so  that,  for  a  moment,  she  was 
too  confused  to  answer  him  at  all.  Was  it  deeper 


58          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

than  she  had  supposed,  this  growing  passion,  which 
she  had  watched  with  amused  interest,  had  perhaps 
nursed  a  little  more  than  she  should  have  done  ? 
Was  there  a  spirit  she  had  not  suspected  in  this  bulk 
of  flesh  and  bone? 

"  Milly,"  came  the  voice  again,  ringing  deeper  and 
gentler  than  before. 

But  she  had  pulled  herself  together  now  and  was 
as  calm  as  usual  in  the  face  of  danger.  Looking  at 
him  directly,  with  a  keen  glance  which  made  him 
feel,  more  than  ever,  the  truth  of  what  he  had  just 
said  about  her  eyes,  she  answered :  "  Mr.  Phelps,  I 
can't  think  you  really  mean  this  ?  " 

"  Mean  it  ?  "  he  said,  and  no  more. 

"  I  don't  doubt  you  mean  it  for  the  time."  And 
as  he  seemed  anxious  to  interrupt  her,  she  added 
hastily,  "  and  think  you  would  mean  it  always.  You 
must  remember,  Mr.  Phelps,  that  I  am  years  older 
than  you  —  ah,  yes  I  am  —  it  is  n't  merely  the  num 
ber  of  birthdays  that  counts.  I  know  a  great  deal 
about  life  —  a  great  deal  too  much,  at  any  rate,  to 
think  of  taking  the  situation  of  guide  and  counselor 
and  wife  to  a  person  in  your  position.  I  counsel !  I 
advise !  I  sometimes  know  the  better  way,  but  I 
always  follow  the  worse.  And  then  I  am  only  fit 
to  live  alone  —  petulant,  wayward,  fanciful,  tern- 
perish  "  — 


MILLY   DECLINES  59 

"  I  know  you  better,"  he  interrupted. 

"  You  don't  know  me  at  all.  And  then,  do  you 
think  I  would  come  between  you  and  Ethel?  You 
will  end  by  marrying  Ethel  —  you  must.  Your  uncle 
expects  it,  nature  really  intended  it,  evidently.  It  is 
one  of  those  marriages  that  are  made  in  heaven  — 
and  novels." 

Her  lightness  hurt  him.  Before  he  could  answer 
her  as  he  wished  to,  he  paused  a  moment  to  gather 
his  thoughts,  and  his  eye  wandered  over  the  wide 
sweep  of  sunlit  grasses  nodding  in  the  wind. 

"Why  do  you  trifle  so  with  me  ?  "  he  asked.  "  I 
may  be  dull  and  slow,  but  I  am  not  a  child.  What 
is  Ethel  to  me  but  a  sweet  and  kindly  cousin  ?  How 
can  she  ever  be  anything  else  ?  It  is  you  I  want,  you, 
you,  you." 

She  shook  her  head.  "  You  can't  have  me,"  she 
said  emphatically.  "  Never !  Never  ! " 

"  It  means  that  you  don't  love  me,  then,  I  sup 
pose,"  was  his  slow  response.  "  There  can  be  no 
other  reason." 

"There  are  many  other  reasons."  This  in  the 
quick,  decided  tone  she  had  used  all  along.  Then 
she  added  more  gently :  "  Since  you  drive  me  to  be 
cruel,  I  must  say  that  I  don't  love  you.  We  have  had 
many  pleasant  times  together  and  you  have  been 
very  kind,  and  if  I  have  seemed  to  encourage  you  in 


60          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

any  way,  I  am  sorry.  It  is  easy  for  a  girl  to  do  that, 
I  suppose.  I  don't  think  I  shall  ever  love  anybody. 
I  am  all  on  the  surface,  all  tongue,  like  Echo.  I  love 
no  one  but  myself  and  myself  not  much.  I  should  n't 
be  so  harsh,  but  I  am  sure  somehow  that  you  don't 
love  me.  You  love  my  clothes,  my  manner,  my  chat 
ter,  my  flippant,  idle  ways ;  but  there  is  nothing  else 
in  me  that  you  could  love.  Don't  let 's  talk  about  it 
any  more." 

"  Very  well,"  he  answered,  rising ;  and  his  manner 
was  almost  rough. 

She  rose,  too,  without  more  speech,  and  they  took 
their  way  homeward,  less  cheerfully  than  they  had 
come.  Hardly  a  word  was  exchanged  between  them, 
unless  when  Milly  made  one  transparent  effort  at 
conversation  about  some  passer-by. 

Once  only  Harvey  broke  the  silence  :  "  Tell  me  one 
thing.  Is  it  George  Kent  ?  " 

"You  have  no  sort  of  right  to  ask,"  Milly  an 
swered.  "  But  it  is  no  one,  and  I  do  not  think  it  ever 
will  be." 


CHAPTER  VI 

COPPERS 

As  to  Harvey's  fitness  for  business  and  success  in 
it  there  could  be  no  doubt  whatsoever.  When  he 
first  went  into  the  office  in  October,  he  began  at  the 
bottom,  running  about  the  street  with  deposits  and 
deliveries ;  and  even  his  constitutional  humility  was 
a  little  staggered  by  the  perfect  indifference  with 
which  everybody  treated  him,  as  if  he  were  a  green 
boy  from  the  back  country,  his  standing  as  a  Har 
vard  graduate  and  his  prestige  as  a  first-class  foot 
ball  champion  being  totally  overlooked.  This  did  not 
disturb  him  much,  however.  He  took  hold  of  his 
work  with  the  determination  natural  to  him,  was 
always  on  hand  and  always  willing,  made  no  mis 
takes,  neglected  nothing.  Consequently,  he  soon  be 
came  aware  of  a  change  of  tone.  Mr.  Legge,  his 
uncle's  partner,  who  knew  business  and  the  business 
character,  though  he  knew  nothing  else,  was  pleased, 
and  showed  it.  Other  persons  in  the  office  became 
more  sympathetic,  and  even  betrayed  a  knowledge 
of  football  which  they  had  appeared  entirely  guiltless 


62          BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

of  before.  At  length,  about  the  beginning  of  March, 
Harvey  was  promoted,  and  allowed  to  try  his  hand 
at  selling  bonds.  Instantly  it  appeared  that  he  had 
made  good  use  of  his  few  months'  preliminary  expe 
rience.  His  acquaintance  was  considerable,  his  man 
ner  such  as  to  inspire  confidence.  In  short,  his  success 
was  entirely  satisfactory  to  Mr.  Legge  and  immensely 
gratifying  to  Mr.  Phelps. 

On  the  thirtieth  of  April  the  latter  gentleman  took 
flight,  going  to  his  summer  place  at  Cataumet,  in 
order  to  escape  the  prying  impertinence  of  the  city 
assessor.  This  left  Mr.  Legge  the  most  active  part 
in  the  management  of  the  business ;  for  the  health 
of  the  senior  partner  made  it  impossible  for  him  to 
come  to  town  more  than  two  or  three  times  a  week, 
although  the  telephone  kept  him  in  constant  contact 
with  what  was  going  forward. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  events  of  that  season 
in  the  Boston  market  was  the  revival  of  speculation 
in  the  Aquila  copper  mine.  The  history  of  that  affair 
is  well  known.  When  the  mine  was  opened  and  the 
company  organized,  everything  seemed  very  pro 
mising.  There  was  value  there.  Nobody  doubted 
that.  Not  only  were  the  surface  indications  excel 
lent  ;  but  the  diamond  drill  showed  an  unusual  depth 
and  an  unusual  richness  of  ore.  The  thing  did  not 
do  well,  however.  It  fell  into  the  hands  of  promoters 


COPPERS  63 

who  were  a  good  deal  more  interested  in  working  a 
quick  boom  on  the  market  than  in  the  production  of 
copper.  The  stock  was  widely  advertised  by  shyster 
methods,  soared  up  sky-high  for  a  few  weeks,  then 
dropped  like  a  dead  rocket,  drawing  more  gold  out 
of  men's  purses  than  copper  out  of  the  earth.  It 
went  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver,  was  thoroughly 
discredited  even  among  speculators,  and  for  some 
time  dragged  on  an  unprofitable  existence  at  figures 
hardly  fit  for  quotation  in  polite  society. 

But  the  shrewd,  who  are  always  on  the  watch  for 
such  things,  knew  that  the  Aquila  mine  itself  was  as 
good  as  ever  it  had  been.  The  copper  was  there,  — 
no  doubt  at  all  about  it.  When  the  proper  moment 
came,  a  strong  combination  took  hold  of  the  con 
cern,  reorganized  it,  put  the  shares  on  the  market  in 
a  conservative  way,  and  gradually  forced  them  up 
wards.  Phelps  &  Legge  were  not  directly  active  in 
this  operation  ;  but  it  was  generally  understood  that 
they  were  behind  it  with  the  capital  and  owned  or 
represented  a  large  block  of  the  shares. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  winter  Harvey 
watched  the  behavior  of  Aquila  stock  with  intense 
interest.  He  heard  so  much  talk  about  it  and  about 
the  relation  of  the  firm  to  it,  that  he  made  a  special 
point  of  investigating  the  matter  and  convinced  him 
self  that  everything  was  solid  and  reliable,  established 


64          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

on  a  square  business  basis.  Still,  after  all,  the  devel 
opment  of  the  mine  was  just  beginning ;  and  when 
the  price  went  steadily  up  and  up,  it  seemed  to  him 
that  the  tone  of  things  was  getting  distinctly  specu 
lative.  However,  it  was,  naturally,  no  affair  of  his. 

By  the  middle  of  April  the  stock  was  quoted  at 
no.  Harvey  felt  a  strong  desire  to  talk  the  mine 
over  with  his  uncle ;  but  Mr.  Phelps  was  not  an  easy 
man  to  approach  on  subjects  that  he  did  not  care  to 
discuss. 

115.  120.  Who  was  the  bull  in  this  matter?  The 
market  in  general  was  strong.  Crop  prospects  were 
good.  Everything  was  taking  an  upward  turn.  Cop 
pers  especially  were  inclining  to  a  boom.  Still,  the 
rise  in  Aquila  was  something  out  of  the  ordinary. 
It  was  not  so  much  a  matter  of  advertising  or  public 
pushing  as  of  a  quiet  diffusion  of  confidence.  Men 
discussed  Aquila  over  their  lunch  and  thought  it  was 
going  higher.  Phelps  &  Legge  were  said  to  be  buy 
ing,  even  at  present  prices.  Whitaker  was  buying, 
and  he  never  made  a  mistake.  Men  got  up  from 
their  lunch  and  placed  an  order  for  ten  or  a  hundred 
shares  of  Aquila  on  their  way  back  to  the  office. 

In  the  first  days  of  May  the  stock  jumped  even 
more  rapidly.  125.  130.  The  careful  ones  sold,  and 
patted  their  fat  pocket-books,  only  to  sigh  a  little 
when  135  was  reached. 


COPPERS  65 

Harvey  left  the  office  in  company  with  Mr.  Legge 
one  afternoon,  and  ventured  to  ask  him  what  it  all 
meant. 

Legge  looked  at  him  with  shrewd,  impenetrable 
brown  eyes.  "  Mean  ?  "  he  answered.  "  It  means  a 
big  profit  for  Phelps  &  Legge." 

"Surely  it  has  got  beyond  the  value  now?"  ques 
tioned  Harvey. 

"The  value  for  us  is  the  market  price,  at  least 
when  it 's  on  the  right  side,"  was  the  laconic  answer. 

"  But  there  must  come  a  turn,  a  break." 

"  Very  likely." 

"  And  some  one  will  suffer." 

"A  good  many  will  get  nipped,  no  doubt  —  and 
deserve  to.  It  won't  be  us ;  I  can  tell  you  that." 

The  subject  was  dropped  and  the  conversation 
turned  to  something  in  connection  with  the  Harkless 
Power  Company's  bonds,  which  Harvey  had  lately 
been  engaged  in  placing. 

But  he  could  not  get  Aquila  out  of  his  head.  This 
was  evidently  a  sample  of  the  sort  of  .thing  business 
meant.  What  would  Marcus  think  of  it?  It  was 
easy  to  answer  that  question. 

The  next  day  he  happened  to  lunch  next  to  a  man 
who  had  been  at  school  with  him  and  whom  he 
met  occasionally  about  the  street.  Ralph  Thomson 
had  been  keen  for  business  from  his  boyhood,  had 


66          BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

gone  directly  from  school  into  a  broker's  office, 
and  was  said  to  be  doing  well,  though  it  was  whis 
pered  that  he  could  not  let  the  bucket-shops  alone, 
and  that  he  kept  his  own  little  property  and  his  wife's 
perpetually  dancing  up  and  down  the  well.  He  was 
a  hard-faced  fellow,  with  hungry  cheeks  and  cold 
blue  eyes,  and  Harvey  was  not  particularly  fond  of 
him. 

"  Hullo,  Harvey,"  he  began.  "  They  must  be  hus 
tling  over  at  your  office." 

"Why?"  asked  Harvey  monosyllabically. 

"  Oh,  don't  you  try  and  play  the  quiet  game  with 
me.  It  won't  do.  It 's  all  Aquila  over  there.  I  know 
that.  They  say  he 's  going  to  push  her  up  to  two 
hundred,  and  I  believe  it." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  Legge,  of  course.  This  is  his  deal,  and  he  Js  a 
smasher.  I  admire  that  man." 

"  There  is  a  Phelps  in  the  firm,"  Harvey  suggested. 

"  Cut  it  out,"  was  the  rough  answer.  I  know  there 's 
a  Phelps,  and  there 's  going  to  be  another.  But  the 
boot  is  on  the  other  Legge  now.  He 's  run  this  Aquila 
business,  and  he 's  doing  it  well." 

"  I  'm  glad  you  admire  him,"  was  Harvey's  com 
ment.  And  he  added,  as  he  lit  a  cigarette,  "  I  trust 
you  're  not  putting  your  admiration  on  a  cash  basis." 

"  You  can  just  bet  I  am,  then.    Everything  I  've  got 


COPPERS  67 

and  everything  1  can  get  hold  of  went  into  Aquila  at 
125.  I  'm  coming  out  on  top  this  time." 

For  a  moment  Harvey's  indignation  and  disgust 
were  too  strong  for  words.  "  You  don't  really  mean 
it,  Ralph  ?  "  he  said  at  length.  "  As  the  thing  stands 
now,  it 's  the  rankest  kind  of  speculation.  And  you  're 
on  a  margin,  of  course." 

"  Sure  I  'm  on  a  margin.  What  do  you  take  me 
for  ?  Speculation  ?  Is  n't  that  the  way  to  get  rich  ? 
Do  you  want  me  to  buy  government  bonds  and  put 
'em  in  the  vault?  It's  easy  for  you  to  talk  —  with 
millions  coming  to  you  just  for  breathing.  Did  n't 
your  uncle  make  his  pile  by  speculation  ?  And  Wil 
liam  Legge,  did  he  steer  clear  of  speculation  ?  " 

Harvey  was  completely  nonplussed  by  this  cold 
frenzy.  "  Heavens  !  man,"  he  cried,  "  don't  you  know 
that  they  are  two  in  a  thousand  ?  And  what  becomes 
of  the  others  ?  Have  n't  you  got  a  wife  and  child  ? 
Think  of  them." 

"  I  am  thinking  of  them,"  was  the  quick  answer. 
"  When  you  get  a  wife,  you  '11  have  something  to 
think  of  —  when  you  see  how  she  makes  the  money 
go."  He  spoke  lower,  with  his  face  close  to  Har 
vey's  ;  and  the  alcoholic  suggestion  of  his  breath 
suited  well  with  his  general  state  of  excitement.  "  I  '11 
tell  you,  old  man,  it  ain't  so  hard  to  be  the  one  in  a 
thousand.  All  you  Ve  got  to  have  is  nerve.  Don't 


68          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

go  into  a  thing  until  you  're  sure  of  it,  and  then  go 
in  for  all  you  're  worth.  I  've  tried  it  two  or  three 
times  already,  on  a  smaller  scale,  and  it  worked  to  a 
charm.  As  for  this  Aquila  business,  I  've  watched  it 
and  studied  it  all  winter,  and  I  know  just  what  the 
big  fellows  are  up  to.  I  would  have  been  in  it  long 
ago  if  I  had  n't  been  all  tied  up  in  other  things.  But 
I  caught  on  in  time.'' 

"Well,  why  don't  you  sell  now?"  urged  Harvey. 
"  You  've  made  enough,  I  should  think." 

Thomson  looked  at  his  companion  with  a  shade 
of  doubt.  "  Is  this  a  tip  ?  "  he  asked.  Then,  as  Har 
vey  shook  his  head,  he  laughed  scornfully.  "  No, 
they  'd  hardly  trust  you  so  deep  as  that.  Sell !  I 
guess  not.  Why,  Legge  was  buying  only  this  morn 
ing.  No,  sir,  150  is  my  figure.  Not  a  cent  less. 
You'll  see  the  stock  175.  But  150 's  good  enough 
for  me.  I  get  out  at  that.  Come  round  and  take 
dinner  the  day  after,  old  man,  will  you  ?  " 

Harvey  accepted  this  very  hypothetical  invitation 
and  said  no  more.  After  all,  it  was  not  his  place 
to  shake  any  one's  confidence  in  Aquila.  But  the 
thought  of  Marcus  came  to  him  more  strongly  than 
ever. 

During  the  next  week  the  market  was  fairly  quiet 
and  Aquila  remained  about  the  same,  rising,  in  all, 
perhaps  a  point  or  two.  Then  suddenly  there  came 


COPPERS  69 

an  uneasy  day.  Everything  trembled.  One  or  two 
large  sales  of  Aquila  were  made  and  the  stock  fell, 
first  slowly,  then  sharply  to  123,  then  to  120.  Of 
course  this  meant  more  margin  from  Thomson,  if  he 
had  not  sold,  but  surely  he  must  have  watched  the 
signs  and  protected  himself.  Harvey  made  several 
efforts  to  see  him,  but  without  success.  He  would 
also  have  liked  to  talk  matters  over  with  his  uncle  or 
with  Legge ;  but  Mr.  Phelps  had  been  detained  for 
some  days  at  Cataumet  by  illness,  arid  Legge  showed 
no  disposition  to  be  communicative. 

The  next  morning  things  looked  better.  It  ap 
peared  that  the  big  men  were  still  buying  Aquila 
in  small  lots,  and  the  price  rose  a  few  points. 

Then,  on  the  nineteenth,  the  crash  came.  Great 
blocks  of  Aquila  were  unloaded  in  the  early  morn 
ing,  to  guileless  purchasers,  who  were  glad  to  get 
the  popular  stock  at  120,  115,  no,  since  Phelps  & 
Legge  were  still  buying  cautiously,  in  small  orders, 
and  everything  seemed  to  indicate  a  merely  tem 
porary  flurry.  But  as  the  day  wore  on  rumors  got 
about  the  street,  coming  from  no  one  knew  where. 
The  President  had  suddenly  ordered  a  fleet  to  Pekin, 
and  in  the  strained  state  of  our  relations  with  Ger 
many  a  conflict  seemed  almost  unavoidable.  The 
whole  market  was  immediately  affected,  and  stocks 
that  seemed  as  solid  as  Bunker  Hill  Monument  were 


70         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

shaken  to  their  foundations.  Harvey  thought  he 
could  never  forget  that  day.  The  rush  of  haggard 
men  about  the  streets,  the  drawn  faces,  the  sunken 
eyes,  the  sense  of  fair  fortunes  withered  at  a  touch, 
of  homes  ruined,  of  wives  and  children  beggared  — 
and  all  for  a  vague  report,  which  turned  out  to  be 
exaggerated  and  misleading,  and  which,  if  it  had 
come  at  another  time,  might  not  have  disturbed  pub 
lic  confidence  at  all. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  Phelps  &  Legge  were 
not  affected  by  the  tumult  further  than  that  a  num 
ber  of  unfortunate  clerks  were  kept  busy  late  into  the 
night,  and  consoled  themselves  with  an  extra  good 
dinner  at  the  expense  of  the  firm.  Mr.  Legge  re 
mained  as  impenetrable  as  ever,  so  far  as  Aquila  was 
concerned.  Whether  he  had  sold  all  of  his  interest, 
or  part,  or  none,  Harvey  was  left  to  speculate.  But 
as,  even  after  the  crash,  the  stock  hung  far  above  the 
figure  at  which  the  firm  originally  purchased,  there 
seemed  to  be  no  particular  occasion  for  anxiety. 

In  the  midst  of  the  general  chaos  Thomson's  fate 
had  been  for  the  moment  forgotten.  On  the  follow 
ing  day,  however,  as  Harvey  was  hurrying  back  to  the 
office  at  noon,  he  felt  his  arm  grasped  from  behind, 
and  turning,  saw  the  face  of  his  old  schoolfellow, 
though  so  changed  he  hardly  knew  it.  The  cheeks 
were  pale  and  sunken,  the  eyes  were  dull  and  sur- 


COPPERS  71 

rounded  with  dark  circles,  the  mouth  was  drawn, 
drops  of  sweat  stood  out  on  the  forehead,  under  the 
pushed-back  hat. 

"It's  all  up,  old  chap,"  he  said;  and  his  breath 
and  his  voice  were  heavy  with  alcohol.  " I'm  in  the 
soup.  Not  a  rag  left  on  me." 

"You  didn't  get  out  in  time?"  cried  Harvey  in 
dismay. 

"Get  out!  No."  They  had  reached  the  door  of 
Phelps  &  Legge ;  but  Thomson  drew  his  compan 
ion  onward.  "  Come  along,"  he  urged,  "  I  must  talk. 
I  've  been  tramping  the  streets  all  day.  I  'm  crazy, 
Harvey."  He  looked  it.  Even  in  that  troubled  time 
men  stopped  in  the  street  to  watch  him. 

"See  here,"  exclaimed  Harvey,  much  distressed, 
"  this  won't  do.  You  've  got  to  go  home  and  go  to 
bed." 

"  I  can't  go  home,"  was  the  hoarse  answer. 

"  Oh,  come,  you  take  it  too  hard,  Ralph.  Every 
man  has  got  to  get  a  rub  in  his  time.  It 's  a  tough 
lesson,  but  if  it  cures  you  of  that  sort  of  thing,  it  may 
be  well  worth  it." 

"  My  God,  man,"  cried  the  other,  "  how  you  talk  ! 
It  is  n't  I.  Do  you  suppose  I  care  for  myself  ?  It 's 
Nellie  —  all  her  money  —  all  her  mother's  money. 
When  it  dropped  that  first  time,  I  swore  I  'd  hang 
on.  I  knew  your  man  Legge  was  buying  —  damn 


72          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

him  —  he 's  done  me  and  a  hundred  others.  I  took 
everything  I  could  get.  I  took  money  from  the  firm, 
Harvey — there,  it's  out  now  —  God! — what  do  you 
think  of  that  for  a  fool's  job  ?  State's  prison  —  no 
less.  That  Legge  —  damn  him  —  buying  a  share  or 
two  all  the  time  to  steady  things  and  then  unloading 
out  the  back  door,  as  fast  as  the  fools  would  gulp  it 
down." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  interrupted  Harvey. 

"  Don't  believe  it  ?  I'd  have  done  the  same  —  any 
body  would.  And  then,  yesterday  morning,  with  a 
tip  from  Washington  in  his  pocket,  what  a  chance ! 
I  don't  believe  he  averaged  less  than  no  on  every 
share  he  sold  —  and  bought  at  under  50.  And  all  the 
time  I  was  making  an  ass  of  myself.  How  those  big 
fellows  swallow  us.  But  Nellie  —  that 's  all  I  can  think 
of,  Harvey.  Nellie  !  I  don't  dare  go  home.  I  did  n't 
close  my  eyes  last  night,  nor  the  night  before.  I  'm 
just  going  crazy,  and  I  'm  glad  of  it." 

He  burst  into  a  fit  of  crying,  part  drink,  part  sleep 
lessness,  part  excitement  Harvey  was  completely  at 
a  loss  what  to  do  ;  but  he  finally  got  the  fellow  into 
a  quiet  corner,  sobered  him  down,  reasoned  with  him, 
and  persuaded  him  to  get  into  a  cab  and  go  home. 

"  I  can't  come  with  you,  old  man,"  he  said,  "  for  I 
must  get  back  to  the  office,  but  I' 11  be  along  in  an 
hour  or  two  and  cheer  you  up." 


COPPERS  73 

He  had  no  sooner  reached  the  office,  however, 
than  he  regretted  having  let  Thomson  go  alone. 
There  was  no  telling  what  might  happen ;  and,  re 
luctant  as  he  was  to  get  mixed  up  further  in  such  a 
miserable  business,  he  felt  that  he  could  not  leave 
things  as  they  were.  He  therefore  jumped  into  a 
cab  and  ordered  the  driver  to  take  him  to  the  Engle- 
wood,  where  Thomson  had  a  flat. 

When  Harvey  arrived  he  gave  his  name  and  asked 
for  Ralph ;  but  Mrs.  Thomson  hurried  to  meet  him. 
She  was  a  simple,  graceful  little  woman,  and  Har 
vey's  heart  went  out  to  her. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Phelps,"  she  cried,  "what  does  it  all 
mean  ?  I  know  you  are  Ralph's  friend.  He  was  speak 
ing  of  you  the  other  day.  Why  does  he  look  so  ?  He 
would  n't  say  a  word  to  me  when  he  came  in,  just 
went  to  his  room  and  turned  the  key  behind  him." 

"  Has  he  told  you  nothing  ?"  asked  Harvey  in  dis 
may. 

She  shook  her  head.  Just  then  the  report  of  a  pistol 
came  sharp  from  a  little  distance  along  the  passage. 
Mrs.  Thomson  screamed  and  ran  to  a  closed  door, 
followed  by  Harvey. 

"  Ralph  !  "  she  cried.  "  Ralph  !  Let  me  in.  Oh,  do, 
Ralph ! " 

No  answer.  Harvey  put  his  whole  strength  against 
the  door  and  forced  the  lock.  There  lay  the  ruined 


74         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

speculator  across  the  bed,  his  brains  blown  out,  and 
the  revolver  on  the  floor  beside  him. 

With  a  cry  his  wife  threw  herself  upon  the  body, 
and  for  a  long  time  Harvey  could  not  succeed  in  get 
ting  her  away  from  it.  At  length,  however,  he  and 
the  maid,  who  was  unusually  sensible  and  tactful, 
persuaded  her  to  go  to  her  baby  in  another  room. 
Then  Harvey  bestirred  himself  to  summon  her  mother 
and  sister  and  a  doctor ;  and,  promising  to  return  the 
next  morning,  he  departed,  in  an  unspeakable  state 
of  wrath  against  the  system  which  brought  men  to 
such  a  pass  as  this. 

Returning  to  the  office,  he  made  his  way  at  once 
to  Mr.  Legge's  private  room,  knocked,  and  entered. 
The  junior  member  of  the  firm  was  attending  to  his 
correspondence. 

"I  want  to  know,"  began  Harvey,  stirred  entirely 
out  of  his  usual  moderation. 

But  Legge,  seeing  that  something  was  wrong,  in 
terrupted.  "  Just  one  moment,"  he  said.  Then,  turn 
ing  to  his  stenographer,  "  Miss  Winter,  will  you 
kindly  ask  Mr.  Perkins  for  the  file  of  letters  relating 
to  that  matter  of  Wilde  &  Co  ?  " 

When  they  were  alone  he  addressed  Harvey  coldly, 
"  What  can  I  do  for  young  Mr.  Phelps  ?  " 

Young  Mr.  Phelps  had  more  command  of  his  nerves 
by  this  time  and  spoke  almost  as  quietly  as  usual. 


COPPERS  75 

"  I  've  just  seen  a  man  shoot  himself,  Mr.  Legge." 

"Ah?"  was  the  calm  remark.  "Perhaps  if  you 
had  gone  to  a  doctor"  — 

But  Harvey  paid  no  attention.  "  He  had  put  every 
thing  he  had  into  Aquila  —  more  than  everything  "  — 

Again  came  the  caustic  comment :  "  A  man  is  a 
fool  to  put  everything  into  Aquila  —  or  any  other 
mine  —  and  on  margin,  too,  I  suppose." 

"  And  he  told  me  that  you  —  that  we  —  that  you 
had  made  money  out  of  it,  had  forced  the  market  up 
and  up,  kept  on  buying  a  little,  even  when  you  were 
selling  a  great  deal,  and  getting  hundreds  of  others 
to  follow  you,  and  then  that  you  had  word  from 
Washington  before  any  one  else,  in  time  to  unload 
thousands  of  shares  and  take  them  up  again  at  a  big 
profit." 

He  paused. 

"Well?"  asked  Legge,  with  perfect  serenity. 

"  Is  this  a  true  history  of  the  thing  ?  " 

"  I  don't  see  why  it  should  n't  be.  But  I  absolutely 
refuse  to  answer  questions  you  have  no  sort  of  right 
to  put.  Take  them  to  your  uncle,  not  to  me.  Ah, 
yes,  Miss  Winter.  You  have  the  file  ?  Thank  you." 

Harvey  turned  short  and  left  the  office. 

As  soon  as  he  reached  his  rooms  he  telephoned  to 
Ethel  that  he  would  come  to  Cataumet  the  next  after 
noon,  for  the  Sunday. 


CHAPTER   VII 

"I   STEP  DOWN  AND   OUT" 

IT  had  been  a  severe  trial  for  Mr.  Phelps  to  remain  at 
Cataumet  through  such  a  lively  crisis  ;  but  although 
he  was  feeling  much  better  towards  the  end  of  the 
week,  the  doctor  did  not  think  it  a  favorable  time  for 
a  visit  to  town. 

As  Amos  became  weaker  and  more  dependent 
upon  his  sister  and  his  step-daughter,  he  grew  more 
disposed  to  talk  than  he  had  ever  been  before. 
Ethel's  even,  tranquil  disposition  was  especially 
soothing  and  comfortable  to  him.  He  liked  to  hear 
her  read,  or  to  sit  on  the  piazza,  in  the  cool  south 
wind,  while  she  embroidered  and  chatted  idly.  And 
always,  in  the  end,  Harvey  got  to  be  the  subject  of 
their  talk. 

"  I  never  believed  he  would  do  so  well,"  said 
Amos,  on  one  occasion.  "  I  knew  he  was  intelligent 
and  industrious  ;  but  as  a  boy  he  was  so  slow  to 
grasp  anything." 

"  Perhaps  he  was  not  so  slow  to  grasp  things  as  to 
express  them,"  Ethel  suggested.  "  When  there  was 


"I    STEP    DOWN   AND    OUT '         77 

anything  to  be  done,  he  always  seemed  to  me  to  be 
quick  enough." 

"  Perhaps,"  answered  Mr.  Phelps  thoughtfully. 
"At  any  rate,  he  is  quick  enough  now  —  in  judgment 
especially  —  and  not  too  quick." 

They  were  both  silent,  watching  the  flutter  of  the 
white  sails  down  the  bay. 

"  And  he  certainly  seems  to  like  it,"  Mr.  Phelps 
went  on. 

"He  always  speaks  as  if  he  did."  Ethel  spread  her 
embroidery  on  her  lap,  and  cocked  her  head  on  one 
side  in  aesthetic  meditation. 

"  Yet,  somehow  or  other,  I  don't  feel  quite  satis 
fied,  perhaps  because  his  sticking  to  the  business 
means  so  much  to  me.  You  've  heard  me  speak  of 
his  mother  ?  " 

Ethel  nodded. 

"  His  mother  and  I  never  got  on.  She  did  n't  ap 
prove  of  my  ways  —  nor  I  of  hers.  And  he  has  a 
good  deal  of  his  mother  in  him.  I  keep  running 
against  it  suddenly,  every  once  in  a  while." 

Ethel  had  no  comment  to  make  on  this.  Indeed, 
one  of  her  chief  advantages  as  a  companion  was  that 
she  did  not  insist  on  any  very  active  part  in  the  con 
versation.  After  a  time  her  father  took  up  another 
phase  of  the  same  all-important  subject.  "  That  Miss 
Erskine,"  he  said,  "  and  Harvey.  I  have  sometimes 


78         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

thought  there  was  something  between  them.  She 's 
a  bright  girl,  but  I  don't  wholly  trust  her." 

Ethel  was  wide  awake  now.  Her  eyes  showed  it. 
If  she  still  hesitated  before  she  spoke,  it  was  to  make 
sure  of  her  words.  "  Harvey  and  Milly,"  she  repeated. 
"  No,  I  don't  think  there 's  anything  in  it.  Milly 
has  n't  said  so  ;  but  I  feel  almost  sure  she 's  refused 
him." 

"  Refused  him ! "  Mr.  Phelps  sat  upright  in  his 
steamer  chair.  "  Why  should  she  do  that  ?  " 

"  Does  n't  care  for  him,  I  fancy." 

"  But  you  think  he  does  care  for  her?  " 

"  Harvey  has  a  taste  for  bright  and  pretty  girls.  I 
think  it  would  be  nice  if  they  'd  marry." 

Mr.  Phelps  looked  decidedly  discontented. 
"  Ethel,"  he  said,  "  you  must  know  what  I  've  always 
wished  for  Harvey  "  — 

But  Ethel  interrupted  this  time.  Getting  up  and 
coming  behind  her  father's  chair,  where  he  could  not 
see  her,  she  said,  "  Yes,  papa,  I  know ;  but  those 
things  can't  be  settled  in  that  way,  can  they  ?  Har 
vey 's  always  been  just  like  a  brother  to  me.  I 
could  n't  possibly  think  of  him  —  as  anything  else." 

Mr.  Phelps  made  no  answer,  but  looked  far  off  at 
the  blue  water  and  the  white  ships.  Then  Ethel  went 
back  to  her  work,  and  the  talk  turned  on  other  things. 

Saturday  afternoon  Harvey  appeared  at  Cataumet, 


"I    STEP   DOWN   AND    OUT'         79 

having  spent  most  of  the  morning  over  Thomson's 
affairs,  with  a  promise  to  give  them  further  attention 
on  Monday. 

That  evening  there  was  little  talk  between  him  and 
his  uncle,  and  only  on  general  topics.  Mr.  Phelps 
seemed  tired  and  not  inclined  to  discuss  the  affairs 
of  the  office,  and  Harvey  himself  was  rather  glad  to 
do  a  little  more  thinking  before  he  spoke,  being 
anxious  not  so  much  as  to  what  he  was  to  say,  but 
as  to  how  he  was  to  say  it. 

Sunday  was  bright  and  clear,  with  a  fresh  west 
wind.  Harvey  took  Miss  Phelps  and  Ethel  down  the 
bay  in  Ethel's  boat.  He  had  not  enjoyed  anything 
so  much  for  a  great  while.  The  salt  air  seemed 
to  blow  all  the  snarls  and  twists  out  of  his  being. 
Neither  of  his  companions  was  curious  or  wanted  to 
talk  Aquila  or  stock  market.  They  were  content  to 
be  happy  and  to  let  him  be  the  same.  If  only  Milly 
had  been  there  and  been  kind,  he  would  have  asked 
nothing  better  than  to  sail  on  so  forever,  with  the 
tiller  in  his  hand,  the  white  wings  spread  taut  before 
him,  and  the  glorious  bound  and  roll  of  the  waves 
beneath  his  feet. 

After  dinner,  however,  he  found  himself  smoking, 
with  his  uncle,  on  the  broad  piazza,  and  the  time  for 
speech  had  come. 

"  It  has  been  a  lively  week,  Uncle  Amos." 


8o         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"Oh,  yes,"  answered  Mr.  Phelps  with  a  sigh. 
"  Why  could  n't  I  have  been  there?  But  those  days 
are  over  for  me.  You  enjoyed  it  ?  " 

Harvey  shook  his  head.    "  No,  not  altogether." 

"  I  'm  surprised  at  that."  The  older  man  glanced 
searchingly  at  his  companion  and  then  went  on.  "  Of 
course  you  had  no  personal  stake.  But  when  I  was 
your  age  the  very  air  of  such  a  time  was  enough  for 
me.  The  clash  of  interests,  the  rise  and  fall  of  big 
issues  —  but  perhaps  you  are  not  in  it  enough  yet, 
after  all." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  'm  in  it  enough.  I  'm  in  it  too  much, 
Uncle  Amos  ;  that 's  the  trouble." 

"  How  so  ?  " 

Harvey's  answer  did  not  come  at  once ;  but  his 
uncle  waited  patiently.  The  veeries  in  the  thicket 
were  filling  the  whole  air  with  passion.  High  over 
head  the  windmill  clicked,  turning  idly  in  the  light 
breeze. 

"  Surely,"  went  on  Mr.  Phelps,  at  length,  "  you 
weren't  mixed  up  in  the  thing  yourself?  Haven't 
been  trying  your  hand  at  a  little  margin  work  ?  " 

"  No,  no,  hardly,"  Harvey  answered,  with  some 
impatience.  Then  he  burst  forth  with  the  whole  story 
of  Ralph,  telling  it  in  broken  sentences,  almost  indif 
ferently,  though  an  observer  so  keen  as  his  uncle 
could  not  miss  the  feeling  underneath.  "  He 's  only 


"I    STEP   DOWN    AND    OUT'         81 

one  of  many,  I  suppose.  I  can't  say  I  enjoy  that  sort 
of  thing,"  he  concluded. 

For  a  moment  there  was  no  answer.  Finally  Mr. 
Phelps  spoke  :  "  Your  friend  was  foolish.  I  think  you 
must  admit  that.  There  is  very  little  place  in  the 
world  for  such  people  as  he,  in  business  or  anywhere 
else.  If  we  stopped  to  pick  up  such  wrecks  as  that, 
nothing  would  ever  go  on." 

But  Harvey  was  determined  to  have  the  whole 
thing  out  now.  As  yet  he  had  made  no  reference  to 
Phelps  &  Legge  in  the  affair.  "  At  least,  it  does  n't 
seem  pleasant  to  do  the  wrecking  ourselves,"  he 
said.  And  he  proceeded  to  give  Ralph's  account  of 
Legge' s  various  transactions. 

Mr.  Phelps  listened  very  quietly  as  before.  When 
Harvey  had  finished,  his  uncle  answered,  in  his  usual 
tranquil  tone:  "Whatever  Mr.  Legge  has  done  has 
been  for  the  firm,  and  I  am  behind  it.  But  I  see 
nothing  out  of  the  way  in  what  you  have  told  me. 
We  take  up  a  large  interest  in  what  seems  to  us  likely 
to  be  a  profitable  investment.  It  goes  on  the  market, 
like  any  other.  Our  position  is  such  that  smaller  in 
vestors  will  be  guided  by  us,  to  a  certain  extent.  The 
stock  has  its  fluctuations  —  like  every  other.  And  we 
protect  ourselves.  That  is  perfectly  simple  —  and 
legitimate." 

"Yes,"  said  Harvey,  "  I  suppose  it  is  —  legitimate. 


82         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

That  is  what  disturbs  me  most.  If  what  is  perfectly 
legitimate  —  and  usual  —  and  calmly  done  by  men 
like  you,  whom  I  honor  and  respect,  carries  such 
misery  and  disaster  with  it,  what  are  the  operations 
of  men  whom  nobody  honors  or  respects  ?  " 

"  The  world  must  go  on,"  was  Amos's  only  reply 
to  this. 

"  I  don't  know  that  it  must,"  answered  Harvey, 
with  equal  brevity. 

Then  they  both  puffed  at  their  cigars  a  long  time, 
without  speaking.  The  red  glow  of  sunset  filled  all 
the  west  and  gleamed  in  the  quiet  waters  of  the  bay. 
Two  or  three  sail-boats  dragged  slowly  along,  almost 
becalmed.  The  noisy  spitting  of  a  launch  was  heard 
behind  the  nearest  headland. 

Mr.  Phelps  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence. 
"  Until  this  crisis  came  you  were  getting  on  well  — 
enjoying  yourself,  were  n't  you  ?  " 

"  In  a  way,  yes.  But  I  was  bound  to  break  with  it 
sooner  or  later,  Uncle  Amos.  Things  kept  coming 
up.  Now  these  bonds  I've  been  selling — Harkless 
Light  and  Power  Company,  you  know.  They  seem 
to  be  a  first-rate  thing  —  they  are,  and  I  've  had  a  lot 
of  fun  handling  them.  But  I  came  across  a  man  the 
other  day.  '  Look  here,'  he  said.  '  I  would  n't  touch 
one  of  those  things  if  you  'd  give  it  to  me.'  '  What 's 
the  matter  with  them  ? '  I  asked.  '  Look  at  their  con- 


«I    STEP   DOWN   AND    OUT1         83 

tracts  and  see  what  they  're  sure  of.  Look  at  their 
concessions.'  '  Yes,'  said  he,  '  their  concessions  !  And 
how  did  they  get  them  ?  It  was  one  of  the  dirtiest 
pieces  of  work  ever  done  by  one  of  the  dirtiest  legis 
latures  of  the  dirtiest  state  in  the  Union.'  I  asked 
Mr.  Legge  if  this  was  true,  and  he  laughed.  Then  I 
looked  into  the  matter  and  found  it  was." 

"That's  politics,  Harvey."  Mr.  Phelps  seemed 
distinctly  pleased  with  the  diversion.  "If  you  were 
squeamish  about  politics,  I  shouldn't  blame  you. 
Business  men  don't  want  to  bribe  legislatures  "  — 

"Don't  they?"  asked  Harvey.  Sarcasm  was  so 
foreign  to  his  nature  that  he  must  have  been  deeply 
moved  when  he  said  it. 

"  No,"  said  his  uncle,  without  a  sign  of  irritation. 
"  At  least,  the  better  class  don't ;  but  nothing  can  be 
done  any  other  way.  You  've  got  to  do  business  as 
the  legislatures  do  it,  or  else  step  down  and  out." 

"  I  step  down  and  out,"  was  the  quiet  echo. 

"  I  'm  sorry  for  that,  for  my  sake  and  yours."  But 
Mr.  Phelps  made  no  further  attempt  to  argue  the 
matter,  and  again  there  was  silence  under  the  calm 
stars  which  have  gazed  unmoved  upon  so  many  mil 
lions  of  scenes  of  human  passion  and  trouble. 

When  Mr.  Phelps  spoke  again,  it  was  with  as  little 
apparent  emotion  as  before.  "  It  seems  that  you  and 
I  belong  to  different  worlds,  my  boy,  and  we  shall 


84         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

hardly  understand  each  other.  But  I  should  like  to 
know  what  you  propose  to  do." 

Harvey's  voice,  as  he  answered,  showed  a  far 
greater  depth  of  agitation.  "  I  don't  know  at  all,  I  'm 
sure.  Uncle  Amos,  I  know  it  seems  as  if  I  were 
criticising  you.  I  don't  mean  to.  You  're  a  better,  a 
nobler  man,  in  every  way,  than  I  shall  ever  be.  Only 
I  can't  seem  to  see  things  as  you  do." 

"That's  it,"  said  his  uncle  nodding.  "A  man  sees 
things  as  he  sees  them.  I  still  hope  that  some  day 
you  may  see  them  differently." 

This  seemed  intended  to  close  the  conversation  ; 
but  Harvey  was  not  yet  done.  "  There  's  another 
thing,"  he  began.  Then  he  paused,  flicked  the  ash 
from  his  cigar,  and  gazed  at  the  quiet  waters  glim 
mering  softly  under  the  silvery  crescent  of  the  young 
moon. 

"  Well  ?  "  said  his  uncle,  with  some  curiosity  in 
his  tone. 

"  My  own  small  property,"  went  on  Harvey  with 
infinite  difficulty — "if  it  doesn't  embarrass  you  in 
any  way,  I  think  I  should  like  to  take  the  charge  of 
it  myself." 

Mr.  Phelps  laughed  a  little,  but  without  any  bitter 
ness.  "  Embarrass  us  !  Fifty  thousand  dollars  !  You 
shall  have  a  check  to-morrow.  But  really,  my  dear 
boy,  as  far  as  taint  goes,  I  should  be  glad  to  know 


"I    STEP   DOWN   AND    OUT'        85 

what  you  expect.  You  may  find  a  mine,  or  a  railroad, 
or  a  manufacturing1  concern,  that  is  n't  run  by  busi 
ness  men  on  business  principles  ;  but  if  you  do, 
you  '11  lose  your  money." 

Then,  as  Harvey  made  no  reply,  the  older  man 
continued :  "  Of  course,  you  can't  expect  to  get  the 
six  per  cent  we  're  paying  you  now." 

"I  shan't  expect  to,"  was  the  calm  answer. 
"You've  been  too  good  to  me,  in  that,  as  in  every 
thing  else." 

"  Luxuries  are  expensive,"  Mr.  Phelps  went  on ; 
"and  fads  are  luxuries.  If  you  get  four  per  cent, 
you  '11  do  well.  Besides,  if  you  live  in  Boston,  you  '11 
find  it  hard  to  escape  taxes." 

"  I  don't  think  I  want  to  escape  taxes.  I  rather 
think  I  want  to  pay  them." 

Mr.  Phelps  lit  a  fresh  cigar  and  got  it  well  under 
way  before  he  made  any  reply  to  this.  "  I  'm  afraid 
we  have  hardly  any  common  ground,"  he  said.  "  It 's 
a  pity.  Naturally,  you  understand  that  when  you 
pay  your  full  personal  tax  you  are  paying  far  more 
than  your  share,  since  two  thirds  of  the  personal 
property  in  the  state  pays  no  tax  at  all." 

"  I  have  soothed  my  conscience  with  that  argument 
as  long  as  I  can,"  Harvey  answered,  throwing  the 
end  of  his  cigar  away  with  a  little  snap  of  decision. 
"  In  a  free  country,  where  the  people  make  the  laws, 


86          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

it  seems  to  me  they  ought  to  obey  them  or  get  them 
changed.  I  am  sick  of  evasions  and  quibbles.  Is  n't 
it  true  that  every  poor  man  in  the  state  who  pays  full 
tax  on  his  little  homestead,  and  every  widow  who  is 
in  the  grip  of  the  assessors  and  cannot  escape,  pays 
far  more  than  ought  to  be  exacted,  simply  because 
the  millionaire  evades  his  burdens  ?  If  I  pay  all  I 
ought,  I  am  at  least  relieving  them  just  so  much, 
even  if  the  relief  is  infinitesimal." 

Mr.  Phelps  did  not  attempt  to  argue  the  question 
further.  "  Of  course,  everything  you  have  urged  this 
evening  reflects  directly  on  me,"  he  said.  But  his 
tone  had  neither  irritation  nor  sarcasm  in  it;  and 
when  Harvey  began  to  protest,  his  uncle  stopped 
him.  "No,  no,  don't  apologize.  I  know  you  didn't 
mean  it.  Perhaps  if  I  were  your  age  and  had  begun 
as  you  have,  I  might  see  things  differently.  As  it  is, 
our  paths  seem  to  run  far  apart  just  at  present.  I 
can't  help  hoping  that  some  time  they  may  come 
together  again.  Anyway,  I  wish  you  luck,  my  boy. 
Good-night." 

"  Good-night,  sir,  and  thank  you." 

That  was  all ;  and,  as  they  stood  up  and  shook 
hands,  who  would  ever  have  suspected  that  the  one 
saw  all  the  hopes  of  years  shattered  at  his  feet,  and 
the  other,  who  had  shattered  them,  would  have  given 
his  life  to  be  able  to  do  otherwise  ? 


CHAPTER   VIII 

ROBERTSVILLE 

TWO  or  three  weeks  after  his  talk  with  his  uncle,  Har 
vey  went  to  Robertsville  for  the  summer.  He  had  not 
been  near  the  office  again  ;  but  the  very  air  of  State 
Street,  even  of  Boston,  fretted  his  nerves.  His  busi 
ness  acquaintances,  although  in  reality  they  knew 
nothing  about  his  position,  and  would  not  have  cared 
if  they  had,  all  seemed  to  be  making  fun  of  him.  The 
very  ticker,  whenever  he  came  near  one,  seemed  to 
say,  "  This  is  Phelps,  the  man  of  scruples.  He  does  n't 
look  it,  does  he?"  The  mere  thought  of  Marcus 
carried  with  it  a  different  world,  a  world  without  envy 
and  greed  and  dissension,  a  world  in  which  sharp 
smartness  was  not  the  first  principle  of  life  and  self 
was  to  be  crushed  out,  not  idolized.  Harvey  was  by 
no  means  sure  that  he  should  succeed  in  crushing 
self  as  Marcus  crushed  it  His  self  was  so  big,  so 
beef-nourished,  so  strong  in  its  own  waywardness. 
Still,  in  his  present  state  of  mind,  when  love  had  dis 
appointed  him  and  work  had  disgusted  him,  the  sug 
gestion  of  totally  different  surroundings  and  interests 
was  full  of  charm. 


88         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

It  was  thus  that,  on  a  warm  June  evening,  he  found 
himself  sitting  in  Marcus's  study,  chatting  leisurely, 
They  did  not  board  in  the  same  house,  but  Harvey's 
quarters  were  so  near  that  he  could  slip  in  and  out 
at  any  time. 

"  And  now,  tell  me  all  about  it,"  Marcus  began. 
He  was  sitting  in  the  swivel  chair  at  his  desk,  his 
hands  in  his  lap,  with  the  fingers  pressed  against 
each  other,  in  a  manner  which  devotion  had  made 
unconsciously  habitual.  As  he  spoke,  or  listened,  he 
sat  quiet,  hardly  even  turning  his  chair ;  yet  some 
thing  tense  in  the  thin  features  and  the  slight  limbs 
made  the  quiet  seem  rather  that  of  nerves  subdued 
than  of  nerves  absent.  The  whole  aspect  of  the  room 
spoke,  in  the  same  way,  of  rigid  control.  All  the  plain 
furniture  was  in  order  and  in  its  place  :  the  rug  on 
the  floor,  the  simple  books  on  the  shelves,  the  papers 
on  the  desk. 

To  turn  and  look  at  Harvey  was  like  turning  to 
flesh  from  spirit.  He  had  spread  his  huge  muscles  at 
full  length  on  the  comfortless  sofa.  It  seemed  as  if 
Hercules  had  strayed  into  the  precincts  of  a  strange 
god.  Yet  when  you  looked  into  his  eyes,  something 
of  the  spirit  was  there  too. 

"  All  about  it,"  he  murmured,  in  echo  of  Marcus. 
"All  about  it.  And  I,  who  found  it  hard  to  get 
together  words  enough  this  morning  to  order  my 
breakfast." 


ROBERTSVILLE  89 

"  You  might  have  written  it  all,"  his  friend  sug 
gested.  "Your  letter  was  brevity  itself.  'I  have 
thrown  over  business  for  good.  Find  me  some  board 
ing  place  near  you  for  the  summer.'  I  found  the 
boarding  place.  And  we  might  let  the  past  be.  But 
it  is  so  useful  for  interpreting  the  future." 

"  I  am  not  sure  that  I  care  to  interpret  the  future," 
was  the  meditative  answer.  "  Let  it  go.  It  is  so 
infinitely  peaceful  here.  The  little  church.  And  the 
river  flowing  quietly  down  below.  And  the  grave 
yard  —  especially  the  graveyard." 

"  Yes,"  said  Marcus,  "  I  am  fond  of  the  graveyard 
myself." 

Harvey  continued  for  some  time  to  reflect  on  the 
peacefulness  of  his  surroundings.  Then  he  pulled 
himself  together  and  began  a  rambling  narrative 
of  the  last  six  months,  their  adventures  and  experi 
ences,  of  his  good  progress  in  the  business,  his  love 
for  it,  his  "  natural  aptitude  for  doing  his  fellow 
men,"  as  he  expressed  it,  of  his  various  successes 
in  bond-selling  and  consequent  lessons  in  politics 
as  practiced  by  experts,  of  the  ups  and  downs  of 
Aquila  and  the  final  crash  which  involved  Thomson 
and  so  many  others  in  the  ruins.  "  That 's  the  whole 
of  it,  and  here  I  am,"  he  concluded.  "  I  've  had 
enough." 

Marcus  had  listened,  with  keen  interest,  and  an  ex- 


9o         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

pression  of  grave  affection  which  showed  how  much 
he  prized  the  nobler  qualities  of  his  friend.  "  And 
your  uncle  ? "  he  asked.  "  How  did  you  ]3art  with 
him?" 

"  I  don't  know.  Who  ever  knows  anything  about 
my  uncle  ?  " 

"There  was  no  quarrel,  I  hope?" 

"  No,"  answered  Harvey,  a  little  shortly.  "  My 
uncle  never  quarrels."  Then  he  added,  in  a  softer 
tone,  "  There  was  nothing  of  the  kind.  Uncle  Amos 
was  generous  and  patient  and  dignified,  as  he  always 
is.  Why  is  it,  Marc,  when  he  is  a  so  much  nobler  and 
better  man  than  I  am,  that  he  should  go  on  calmly 
doing  these  things,  which  I  can't  do  ?  " 

"  Habit,"  said  Marcus,  in  an  earnest  tone.  "  Habit 
is  half  the  tissue  of  life.  It  clings  round  a  man,  and 
twines  over  him  and  under  him,  and  smothers  his 
soul  before  he  knows  it.  I  don't  doubt  that  your  uncle 
is  a  good  man,  better  than  you  or  I,  if  you  like ;  but 
if  so,  it  is  in  spite  of  his  surroundings.  You  are 
through  with  it  all  then  —  for  the  time  ?  " 

Harvey  nodded.    "  Forever." 

"One  shouldn't  say  that,"  the  other  objected. 
"  One  can't  tell  what  may  turn  up."  Then  he  swung 
slowly  round  in  his  chair  once  and  crossed  his  knees 
the  other  way,  still  keeping  the  points  of  his  fingers 
pressed  together.  "When  you  were  here,  in  the 


ROBERTSVILLE  91 

spring,  there  was  a  young  woman  in  the  case,"  he 
said. 

Harvey  nodded  again,  rather  drearily. 

"  Is  she  —  a  —  sunk  in  oblivion  ?  " 

"  No,  she  has  pushed  me  in." 

"I  see.  Oblivion  is  Roberts ville.  I  understand  now 
the  tranquil  river  —  and  the  graveyard." 

"  No,  you  don't  understand  them  the  least  in  the 
world,"  said  Harvey,  sitting  up,  in  energetic  protest. 
"  A  week  after  she  refused  me,  I  decided  I  should 
never  have  done  for  her.  I  am  heavy  and  she  is 
light.  She  could  n't  help  laughing  at  my  elephantine 
ways.  I  mind  that  sort  of  thing  as  little  as  any  one  ; 
but  there  are  interstices  —  even  in  my  hide.  I  believe 
you  mentioned  the  future  ?  " 

A  slight  smile  played  about  the  corners  of  Marcus's 
kindly  mouth  ;  but  his  eyes  continued  grave  and 
earnest.  "Ah,  yes,  the  future,"  he  said.  "Well,  let 
us  talk  of  that.  What  do  you  want  to  do  ?  " 

"  Good,"  answered  Harvey  monosyllabically. 

"I  see." 

The  words  were  meant  to  be  sympathetic  and  per 
haps  sounded  so  to  the  speaker ;  but  Harvey's  hy 
persensitive  ear  read  a  touch  of  sarcasm  into  them. 
He  sat  up  and  looked  at  his  friend. 

"You  don't  quite  believe  in  me,"  he  said.  "It 
is  n't  strange.  I  don't  look  like  an  apostle  of  sweet- 


92          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

ness  and  light,  do  I  ?  Or  is  it  that  your  own  enthusi 
asm  of  a  year  ago  has  weakened  ?  You  don't  believe 
any  more  that  effort  is  worth  while?" 

It  was  Marcus's  turn  to  sit  up  straight  and  speak 
with  intensity.  The  fire  in  his  blue  eyes  did  not  look 
like  any  lack  of  enthusiasm.  "  No  !  No  !  No  ! "  he 
cried.  "  I  believe  more  than  ever.  I  trust  more  than 
ever.  I  hope  more  than  ever.  The  moments  of  doubt 
come ;  but  they  vanish  the  moment  you  make  your 
view  wide  enough.  Every  effort  tells  —  for  others 
and  for  yourself.  There  is  so  much  to  do  and  so  few 
to  do  it.  Talk  about  the  enthusiasm  of  success  in 
business !  What  is  it  compared  with  success  in  mak 
ing  the  lives  of  others  calmer  and  better  and  happier  ? 
And  there  is  so  much  to  do  in  the  world  you  come 
from,  Harvey !  The  more  I  see,  the  more  I  believe 
in  the  need  of  working  among  the  rich  and  prosper 
ous.  Somehow  we  must  make  them  feel  that  the 
future  of  the  world  is  with  them.  They  must  lay  by, 
of  their  own  accord,  their  pride,  their  greed,  their 
self-indulgence,  and  go  out  and  meet  their  brothers 
and  give  up  to  them  lovingly,  willingly.  So  many 
of  them  are  ready,  if  they  only  knew  the  way.  That 
is  the  secret  of  the  future,  the  true  solution  of  all  these 
problems  of  socialism  and  anarchism.  Love  !  Love  ! 
Love !  We  must  preach  love,  we  must  teach  love, 
we  must  live  love." 


ROBERTSVILLE  93 

For  the  moment  the  young  priest  had  forgotten 
himself  and  his  auditor  in  his  outburst  of  passionate 
zeal.  At  this  point,  however,  he  happened  to  glance 
at  Harvey,  and  the  rapt  absorption  of  the  latter's  at 
titude  checked  his  friend's  energy  a  little.  He  hesi 
tated,  and  then  continued  in  a  calmer  tone :  "  This 
is  to  show  you  that  my  enthusiasm  is  just  what  it 
always  was.  But  when  one  comes  to  particular  cases, 
one  feels  the  responsibility.  Your  uncle  has  great 
claims  on  you,  Harvey.  I  believe  you  are  acting 
rightly  in  refusing  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  busi 
ness  ;  but  it  is  a  serious  decision  to  make,  and  you 
ought  to  be  very  sure  of  your  vocation  before  you 
finally  settle  the  matter." 

Here  Harvey  was  ready  to  interrupt,  but  Marcus 
stopped  him,  with  his  air  of  quiet  authority.  "  One 
moment.  There 's  another  thing.  You  are  full  of  de 
sire  to  do  good,  to  reform  the  world,  and  benefit 
mankind.  Now,  for  my  part,  I  haven't  very  much 
belief  in  such  activity  without  a  religious  motive. 
I  don't  deny  that  an  immense  deal  is  done  by  men 
who  have  no  such  motive  whatever.  I  respect  them ; 
but  in  my  opinion  they  are  working  on  a  wrong 
basis  and  they  do  a  great  deal  of  harm  with  the  good. 
I  can't  take  a  hearty  interest  in  your  work  until  you 
are  working,  first  of  all,  for  Christ.  And  I  think  he 
is  not  your  leader  yet,  is  he?" 


94         BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  No,"  said  Harvey  gravely.  "  Not  as  you  mean 
it,  not  yet." 

He  lay  back  on  the  sofa,  buried  in  thought.  The 
clock  on  the  mantel  ticked  heavily,  and  outside  were 
the  myriad  murmurs  of  the  summer  night.  Marcus 
sat  quiet  in  his  chair,  waiting. 

"I  don't  think  you  quite  understand,  old  man," 
said  Harvey  at  last.  "  I  don't  mean  to  put  on  any 
great  airs  of  making  the  world  over.  I  've  got  my 
health,  I  've  got  my  strength,  I  've  got  my  leisure.  I 
want  to  do  good,  not  harm  with  them,  to  do  what  I 
think  you  would  call  working  for  Christ.  But  I  'm  a 
child.  I '  ve  got  to  learn.  That 's  all  I  want  —  to  learn 
how  to  make  the  best  of  myself.  That 's  why  I  've 
come  up  here  — to  be  near  you  —  just  that.  I  want 
to  read  and  think,  to  be  at  peace  for  a  while,  to  see 
how  you  live  your  life,  and  shape  mine  after  it,  if  I 
can.  I  can't  say  things  as  I  want  to,  Marc  —  never 
could.  But  don't  believe  I  think  too  much  of  myself." 

Marcus's  eyes  gleamed,  but  not  with  the  dry  bril 
liance  of  mystical  enthusiasm.  He  got  up  and  walked 
twice  back  and  forth  through  the  room.  Then  he 
stopped  by  Harvey  and  took  his  hand,  laying  his 
own  left  hand  on  his  friend's  shoulder. 

"  Pride  and  self-righteousness  will  never  be  your 
failing,  dear  boy,  as  they  have  been  mine.  Don't  try 
to  shape  your  life  by  mine.  Your  own  will  be  far 


ROBERTSVILLE  95 

better.  I  believe  in  you.  I  trust  you.  If  I  hesitated, 
it  was  only  from  my  anxiety  that  you  should  make 
no  mistake.  If  you  keep  yourself  so  humble  and  so 
simple,  you  can't.  Except  ye  become  as  little  chil 
dren,  said  the  Master.  As  for  having  you  here,  you 
know  what  a  pleasure  it  will  be  to  me." 

So  began  Harvey's  summer  at  Robertsville.  In  a 
few  days  he  had  fallen  into  the  quiet,  even  current  of 
a  life  which  ran  away  like  a  dream.  He  had  books 
which  Marcus  recommended,  or  which  he  hunted  out 
for  himself,  books  ranging  from  the  pure  socialism 
of  Karl  Marx  and  Henry  George  and  the  numerous 
shades  of  their  followers,  through  Ruskin  and  the 
different  stages  of  Christian  philanthropy  and  benevo 
lence,  to  religious  and  mystical  studies  which  had 
hardly  any  practical  bearing  whatsoever.  He  passed 
the  morning  hours  with  these,  while  Marcus  was  busy 
at  his  desk  or  attending  to  some  pastoral  duty.  Then 
in  the  afternoons  they  took  long  walks  together  over 
the  hills,  or  explored  the  river  in  Harvey's  canoe,  gen 
erally  ending  with  a  game  of  tennis,  in  which  Marcus 
showed  himself  by  no  means  unskillful,  though  hardly 
a  match  for  his  friend. 

Robertsville  is  mainly  a  factory  town.  The  quaint 
church  of  Saint  Margaret's,  dating  from  almost  co 
lonial  times,  keeps  up  a  moderate  congregation  of 
the  older  families  living  in  and  near  the  village,  with 


96          BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

a  small  support  from  the  poorer  people  working  in 
the  mills ;  but  the  bulk  of  the  inhabitants  is  naturally 
Catholic.  Among  these  Marcus's  zeal  found  small 
opportunity  to  display  itself,  although  he  kept  on 
good  terms  with  the  priest,  and  joined  with  him  for 
a  number  of  excellent  objects.  In  the  Episcopal  com 
munity  the  people  were  conservative,  devoted  to  their 
regular  rector,  whom  they  had  sent  abroad  for  his 
health,  and  somewhat  inclined  to  regard  the  youthful 
substitute  with  suspicion.  Most  of  them  soon  yielded 
to  his  self-sacrificing  enthusiasm,  however,  and  took 
a  more  or  less  active  part  in  his  various  benevolent 
enterprises. 

These  included  a  club  for  young  men,  not  espe 
cially  religious  in  its  character,  as  its  founder  was  anx 
ious  to  influence  more  than  the  few  members  of  his 
own  parish,  but  organized  for  general  moral  and  edu 
cational  improvement.  On  winter  evenings  this  club 
had  gathered  regularly  in  its  rooms  to  read,  play 
games,  and  listen  to  talks  on  subjects  of  general  in 
terest.  But  as  the  warm  summer  nights  came  on  the 
meetings  grew  thin ;  and  Marcus,  feeling  that  this 
was  the  very  time  when  he  was  most  desirous  to  keep 
hold  of  the  young  men,  debated  a  good  deal  as  to 
how  to  accomplish  his  object. 

Here  was  a  chance  for  Harvey.  Let  the  club,  which 
had  been  an  indoor  institution  during  the  winter,  be 


ROBERTSVILLE  97 

changed,  for  the  summer  months,  into  an  athletic  or 
ganization  for  outdoor  sports  and  games.  The  idea 
seemed  to  be  generally  acceptable,  and  the  former 
football  champion  took  hold  of  it  at  once,  arranging 
a  tennis  tournament,  tug-of-war  teams,  contests  in 
running,  jumping,  etc.,  and  other  forms  of  amusement 
and  exercise,  in  which,  it  must  be  confessed,  he  felt 
more  at  home  than  with  Karl  Marx  and  Ruskin. 

These  various  pursuits  passed  the  time  lightly, 
and  the  first  weeks  of  summer  slipped  away  before 
Harvey  knew  that  they  were  going. 


CHAPTER    IX 

A  JESTER'S  WOOING 

MRS.  ERSKINE  and  her  daughter  stayed  in  their  city 
flat  till  August,  so  that  they  might  afford  to  pass  that 
month  in  a  fashionable  hotel  at  Magnolia.  Milly  liked 
the  seashore  and  she  did  not  like  cheap  boarding- 
houses.  Wherever  she  went  she  wanted  to  see  pretty 
frocks,  and  to  mingle  with  people  of  her  own  world. 
And  though  she  complained  that  she  was  growing 
old,  and  that  the  drudgery  of  teaching  was  withering 
her  up,  her  bright,  fresh  spirit  seemed  as  welcome  to 
her  friends  as  at  any  time  in  former  years. 

She  had  not  been  at  Magnolia  ten  days  when  Kent 
appeared,  on  a  Saturday  evening,  and  announced 
that  he  was  spending  Sunday  at  the  Hesperus.  This 
did  not  surprise  Milly  particularly,  for  she  had  seen  a 
good  deal  of  him  during  the  last  two  months  in  town, 
liked  him,  and  was  quite  aware  that  he  liked  her. 
But  though  she  did  not  feel  surprise,  she  expressed  it. 

"  Who  would  have  expected  to  see  you  here?  "  she 
asked. 

"  I  rather  think  that  you  would,"  was  the  serene 


A  JESTER'S   WOOING  99 

answer  of  a  man  who  was  beginning  to  understand 
her  and  her  ways. 

Sunday,  after  tea,  the  two  went  out  together  on 
the  rocks.  They  rambled  along  the  shore,  towards 
the  great  chasm,  chatting  merrily  of  things  indiffer 
ent.  At  length  they  sat  down  in  a  sheltered  nook, 
near  the  water.  The  tide  was  making.  There  was 
not  the  faintest  breath  of  wind,  and  the  long  swell 
rose  and  sank  almost  imperceptibly,  curling  in  round 
the  sharp  edges  of  the  cliffs,  creeping  upward,  draw 
ing  slowly  back,  and,  as  it  did  so,  shuddering  and 
shivering  into  white,  white  eddies  of  foam.  The  moon 
was  nearly  full,  and  its  image,  only  now  and  then 
broken  into  a  thousand  sparkles,  lay  in  the  black 
water  close  beneath  the  rocks.  The  shimmer  of  the 
rolling  foam  took  a  strange,  unearthly  radiance  in 
the  broad  moonlight.  There  was  no  sound  but  the 
long-drawn,  whispering  murmur  of  the  sea  in  front, 
and  the  quiet  chirping  of  the  crickets  in  the  fields 
above. 

For  some  time  the  two  sat  silent.  Milly  drew  her 
light  shawl  closer  about  her  shoulders. 

"  These  surroundings  are  exceedingly  romantic," 
began  Kent.  "  I  hardly  think  my  love-making  can 
come  up  to  them." 

Milly  was  leaning  forward  with  her  chin  resting 
on  her  hand,  gazing  intently  at  the  moon-path  on  the 


ioo       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

water.  She  did  not  change  her  attitude  one  iota  for 
this  speech.  "  Do  you  really  want  to  make  love  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  Yes." 

"  I  doubt  it.  The  surroundings  are,  as  you  say, 
romantic,  and  of  a  nature  to  suggest  remarks  which 
one  would  be  likely  to  regret  in  one's  office  to-mor 
row — by  daylight." 

"  You  feel  the  influence  yourself,  then,  I  assume." 

Still  no  change  in  the  lady's  attitude,  as  she  re 
plied  :  "  The  question  is  peculiar,  not  to  say  imperti 
nent  ;  but  I  have  no  particular  objection  to  admitting 
—  to  you  —  that  I  do  feel  the  influence." 

"Tome?   I  don't  quite  understand." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  do." 

"  See  here,"  answered  the  author  of  "  Snap  Shots," 
in  a  more  serious  tone  than  he  had  hitherto  used,  fi  I 
am  talking  business.  My  sentiments  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  surroundings,  and  I  am  simply  saying 
what  I  made  up  my  mind  to  say  —  in  the  office  — 
by  daylight." 

"You  might  almost  have  had  it  typewritten, 
might  n't  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  need  n't  try  to  make  me  ridiculous.  No 
body  could  appreciate  the  situation  better  than  I  — 
a  comic  journalist,  on  his  knees,  figuratively,  in  the 
moonlight,  before  a  young  woman.  As  a  cartoon, 


A   JESTER'S   WOOING  101 

the  thing  has  hovered  before  my  imagination  for 
several  weeks." 

"  Yet  I  doubt  whether  even  your  grotesque  ima 
gination  could  equal  the  absurdity  of  the  reality," 
was  the  sympathetic  answer. 

"  Perhaps  not.  But  I  rely  on  just  that  absurdity  of 
the  thing  to  guarantee  its  genuineness.  Milly  Er- 
skine,  I  wish  you  would  marry  me,  though  I  hardly 
dare  hope  it." 

The  statuesque  immobility  of  the  girl's  attitude 
yielded  a  little.  She  turned  half  round,  and  the  moon 
light  fell  full  on  her  face,  making  its  soft,  merry  lines 
perfectly  bewitching  under  the  sweet  tangle  of  her 
hair. 

"If  I  could  believe  you  serious  —  as  I  can't,"  she 
said,  "  I  should  really  think  you  love  me ;  for  you 
must  certainly  see,  as  clearly  as  I  do,  the  rank  folly 
of  your  proposition." 

Kent  picked  up  a  pebble  and  threw  it  at  the  water- 
image  of  the  moon.  "  It  struck  me  just  that  way  at 
first,"  he  said  slowly,  "  but  when  I  came  to  think  it 
over,  I  changed  my  mind.  Of  course,  I  might  marry 
a  million  or  two,  perhaps  ;  but  what  should  I  get 
with  it  ?  I  am  going  to  succeed,  myself,  and  make 
enough.  When  I  get  my  success,  your  spirit  and 
charm  would  be  worth  millions." 

"  I  appreciate  your  rare  candor,"  remarked  the  ob- 


102        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

ject  of  this  compliment.  As  she  said  it,  she  laughed, 
and  her  laughter  seemed  as  light  and  wayward  as 
the  foam  that  was  tossing  at  her  feet. 

But  Kent  was  perfectly  serious.  "  In  any  case,  I 
love  you,"  he  urged.  "  You  ought  to  know  me  well 
enough,  by  this  time,  to  know  when  I  mean  what  I 
say." 

She  had  turned  her  eyes  back  to  the  moon  again 
and  made  no  answer.  Just  a  few  yards  out  from 
shore  a  boat  was  rowing  by,  with  a  man  and  a  girl 
in  it.  The  girl  was  playing  on  the  mandolin  and 
singing  softly.  She  wasn't  a  water  sprite,  but  at 
that  distance  it  was  possible  to  imagine  her  one. 

When  Kent  found  that  he  was  likely  to  get  no 
reply,  he  spoke  again.  "I  gather  that  you  don't  — 
care  for  me.  That  is  perfectly  natural." 

This  time  Milly  answered  him,  but  she  still  kept 
her  gaze  fixed  on  the  moon  and  the  mandolin.  "  No," 
she  said.  "  I  don't  care  for  you  —  in  that  way.  It 
is  n't  in  me  to  love  any  one,  I  think,  not  as  I  should 
like  to  love,  not  as  I  should  really  call  loving,  not  so 
that  I  should  be  willing  to  make  a  fool  of  myself 
just  for  the  pleasure  of  it."  She  paused  a  few  mo 
ments.  The  mandolin  was  fading  away  in  the  dis 
tance.  "  Yet  I  like  you,"  she  went  on  absently.  "  It 
has  astonished  me  sometimes  to  find  how  well  we 
understood  one  another.  Too  well,  probably." 


A   JESTER'S   WOOING  103 

"  I  think  you  expect  too  much,"  urged  Kent,  with 
a  ring  of  hope  in  his  tone.  "  People  like  you  and  me 
can  never  act  '  All  for  Love,  or  the  World  Well 
Lost.'  We  see  the  strings  that  work  the  puppets  a 
little  too  clearly.  But  we  may  be  none  the  less 
happy  for  that,  Milly  ! " 

He  tried  to  take  her  hand,  and  those  who  laughed 
at  his  cynical  slang  in  the  Sunday  papers  would  have 
been  astonished,  if  they  had  seen  and  heard  him. 

But  she  withdrew  her  hand.  "  No,"  she  said,  "  oh, 
no ! "  with  far  more  softness  than  she  had  hitherto 
used.  "  You  have  your  way  to  make  in  the  world, 
your  fortune.  I  should  hamper  you,  hold  you  back, 
and  be  old  and  withered  when  you  had  made  it." 
Then,  as  he  tried  to  interrupt,  with  passionate  pro 
test,  she  went  on  quickly:  "And  besides,  I  couldn't. 
I  like  my  independence,  my  waywardness,  my  whims, 
my  fancies.  A  woman  gives  them  up  when  she  mar 
ries.  I  couldn't  give  up  my  independence  for  any 
thing  but  love." 

Again  there  was  a  pause.  A  light  breeze  had 
sprung  up,  and  the  moon  image  was  broken  into  a 
thousand  gleaming,  vanishing  sparkles.  Little  wave 
lets  plashed  against  the  rocks  ;  but  their  murmur 
was  lost  in  the  hollow  roar  of  the  long  tidal  swell  as  it 
surged  into  the  gaping  crevices  and  sullenly  rolled 
back. 


104       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

Once  more  it  was  Kent  who  broke  the  silence. 
"Do  you  know,"  he  asked,  "I  have  sometimes 
thought,  when  we  have  talked  together  of  Harvey 
and  your  refusing  him,  that  you  loved  him  after 
all?" 

"  Have  you  ?  "  said  Milly,  keeping  her  face  shaded 
with  the  hand  it  was  leaning  on. 

"  Yes." 

"  It  's  odd,"  the  girl  continued,  in  the  same  apa 
thetic  tone,  "but  once  or  twice  the  same  idea  has 
occurred  to  me."  Then  she  drew  herself  together 
and  turned  straight  round  to  her  companion.  "  We 
understand  each  other  wonderfully,  you  and  I ;  it 's  so 
easy,  with  you,  to  say  what  one  feels.  Yes,  several 
times  lately  I  've  found  myself  thinking  of  Harvey 
Phelps  with  a  sort  of  tenderness.  Now  why  should 
I  ?  I  Ve  always  made  fun  of  him  to  Ethel.  He  's  so 
heavy  and  slow  and  I  've  always  called  him  dull  — 
though  I  'm  not  sure  he  is.  At  any  rate,  he 's  so  dif 
ferent  from  me.  When  he  —  asked  me  to  marry  him 
last  spring,  the  idea  struck  me  as  a  huge  joke.  And 
yet  —  I  don't  understand  it  in  the  least." 

u  I  do."  There  was  a  sadness  in  Kent's  tone,  which 
sounded  strange  for  him.  "  People  like  you  and  me, 
who  are  complex  and  subtle  and  intellectual,  are 
charmed  with  the  simple  natures,  when  they  are 
strong  and  noble  as  Harvey  is.  The  mere  contact 


A  JESTER'S   WOOING  105 

with  them  is  restful.  I  have  always  found  it  so  my 
self." 

They  both  resumed  their  contemplation  of  the 
moon,  which  was  veiled  a  little  now  under  a  light 
drift  of  cloud.  Milly  drew  her  shawl  closer  round  her 
shoulders,  as  if  the  shadow  brought  an  added  chill 
with  it. 

"Then  I  suppose,"  went  on  Kent  slowly,  "that  if 
Harvey  comes  back  in  the  autumn  and  asks  you 
again  "  — 

But  Milly  interrupted  him.  "  You  feel  the  charm 
of  simple  natures,"  she  said.  "  Now  there 's  Ethel. 
I  Jve  sometimes  thought,  if  Harvey  won't  marry 
her,  that  there  would  be  an  excellent  opening  for 
you." 

"  I  Ve  thought  so  myself,"  Kent  rejoined,  as  soon 
as  he  could  get  hold  of  this  new  current  of  ideas. 
"  But  that  was  a  good  while  ago.  I  like  Miss  Har 
per  exceedingly,  and  in  very  many  ways  the  match 
commends  itself.  But,  you  see,  Harvey  is  my  friend, 
and  he  ought  to  marry  Miss  Harper." 

"  Exactly."  Milly,  as  she  said  this,  leaned  her  head 
to  one  side  a  little  and  looked  at  him  with  ravish 
ing  mock  candor.  "  Ethel  is  my  friend,  and  Harvey 
ought  to  marry  her,  as  you  say." 

"  That 's  different,"  argued  Kent,  with  some  per 
plexity. 


io6        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  On  the  contrary,  it 's  precisely  the  same.  The 
truth  is  that  you  and  I,  though  we  are  abandoned  to 
frivolity  and  worldliness,  have  our  scruples,  just  as 
the  Reverend  Marcus  has,  though  we  may  not  have 
so  many  and  may  be  a  trifle  ashamed  of  what  we 
do  have.  If  I  were  dying  for  Mr.  Phelps,  which  I  am 
not,  I  would  n't  have  him." 

"  Nevertheless,"  answered  Kent  a  little  bitterly, 
"  when  two  people  are  dying  for  each  other,  the  affair 
generally  ends  in  one  way." 

"  It  won't  in  this  case,"  was  the  firm  reply.  "  Be 
sides,  your  friend  has  died  and  resuscitated.  He  has 
a  kind  of  pride,  with  all  his  simplicity,  which  does  n't 
take  a  refusal  very  well.  And  then,  he  had  only  a 
passing  fancy  for  me,  as  you  have.  I  've  met  those 
cases  before.  My  kind  does  n't  inspire  anything  of 
the  Romeo  description.  I  've  no  doubt  a  month  was 
quite  sufficient  to  convince  Harvey  of  his  mistake  — 
as  it  will  you.  Well,  never  mind  that,"  she  went  on, 
putting  aside  his  protest.  "  Now  I  '11  tell  you  what 
you  and  I  are  to  do  —  everything  we  can  to  bring 
Ethel  and  her  cousin  together.  Do  you  see  ?  These 
philanthropic  notions  won't  last  long,  I  fancy.  Our 
friend  is  a  great  eater  of  beef ;  and  while  it  may  not 
do  harm  to  his  wit,  that  sort  of  diet  is  an  enemy  to 
moonshine.  I  believe  that,  after  a  couple  of  months 


A  JESTER'S   WOOING  107 

of  the  Reverend  Marcus,  millions  and  a  stolid  dispo 
sition  will  seem  more  attractive  than  they  did." 

Kent  shook  his  head.  "  I  think  with  you  that  we 
ought  to  forward  that  marriage  all  we  can,  but  I  feel 
sure  it  will  never  come  off.  Harvey  may  not  be  per 
manently  in  love  with  Upham,  but  sooner  or  later  he 
will  fall  into  the  hands  of  some  one  of  that  stamp  — 
unless  you  take  him." 

"  I  shan't  take  him,"  said  Milly. 

Then  she  stood  up  and  began  her  homeward  pro 
gress.  As  they  came  nearer  to  the  top  of  the  rocks, 
the  murmur  of  the  sea  below  grew  vaguer  and  yielded 
to  the  lovely,  quiet  chorus  of  the  insects  in  the  grass. 
The  wind  had  risen,  and  long,  shapeless  clouds  trailed 
brokenly  over  the  splendor  of  the  moon. 

While  they  walked,  they  spoke  but  little,  until  they 
had  almost  reached  the  end  of  their  journey.  Then 
Kent  suddenly  put  his  hand  on  his  companion's  arm 
and  stopped  her.  "  Milly,"  he  said,  and  the  intensity 
of  his  voice  surprised  her  and  even  himself.  "  Milly, 
do  think  of  it  again.  I  don't  know  anything  about 
Romeo.  If  you  won't  marry  me,  I  may  end  by  mar 
rying  somebody  else  —  for  money  and  success  — 
and  be  ashamed  of  myself.  But,  oh,  I  want  you. 
We  were  made  for  each  other,  Milly.  We  look  at 
the  world  through  the  same  eyes,  laugh  at  it  with 


io8        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

the  same  heart  of  scorn  —  oh,  let  us  do  it  together 
always." 

She  left  her  hand  in  his  for  an  instant  —  then 
drew  it  away  gently.  "  No,"  she  said,  "  I  can't.  A 
year  ago,  I  don't  know  what  I  should  have  answered 
you ;  but  now  it 's  quite  impossible." 


CHAPTER   X 

A  CANOE  ACCIDENT 

IT  was  an  evening  early  in  September,  warm  and 
close.  Rain  had  fallen  at  intervals  all  day,  and 
though  the  sky  had  cleared  at  sunset,  and  the  stars 
were  out,  the  foliage  was  still  heavy  with  moisture, 
and  the  slow  drip  from  the  eaves  mingled  with  the 
thick,  incessant  murmur  of  the  crickets. 

Harvey  sat  in  Marcus's  study,  trying  to  express, 
in  broken  sentences,  a  frame  of  mind  quite  different 
from  what  he  had  uttered  in  June. 

"  I  begin  to  think  it 's  no  go,  old  man.  I  'm  not 
cut  out  for  this  sort  of  thing." 

Marcus  was  in  his  swivel-chair,  as  usual,  with  his 
hands  joined  as  usual,  calm  and  controlled  as  usual. 
Harvey  had  begun  to  think,  of  late,  that  their  con 
versations  would  be  more  intimate  if  his  friend  would 
smoke  and  occasionally  leave  that  chair ;  but  the 
thought  had  not  taken  the  form  of  a  wish  or  a  regret 
in  words. 

To  the  above  somewhat  melancholy  utterance  the 
young  minister  made  no  immediate  reply,  —  simply 
looked  keenly  at  his  companion  and  waited. 


no        BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

By  and  by  Harvey  went  on.  "  No,  I  'm  not  cut  out 
for  it.  I  thought  the  sports  with  your  club  would 
suit  me.  So  they  do  —  the  sports.  But  the  club  !  Of 
course  Father  Maguire  has  got  down  on  us  now, 
and  that  keeps  the  Catholics  away,  and  stirs  up 
trouble.  And  then  they've  all  lost  their  interest.  It 
was  a  new  thing  at  first ;  now  it  isn't.  But  that  is  n't 
all ;  they  're  such  cads  !  That 's  the  truth  of  it.  I 
thought  I  was  a  democrat,  but  I  believe  I'm  a 
snob.  Nothing  brings  out  a  man's  breeding  like 
sport.  A  man  that  '11  take  a  whipping  like  a  gentle 
man  is  a  gentleman.  To  be  sure,  I  've  seen  gen 
tlemen  that  took  their  whippings  like  cads.  But 
these  chaps  are  all  cads.  No,  not  all ;  but  the  excep 
tions  prove  the  rule.  And  their  talk  —  their  way  of 
doing  everything ! " 

Marcus  spoke  now,  not  harshly,  but  rather  seri 
ously.  "Your  spirit  hasn't  been  right  from  the  be 
ginning.  I  have  seen  it  all  along ;  but  I  knew  expe 
rience  was  the  best  teacher.  You  went  into  sports 
because  you  liked  them,  not  because  the  men  did. 
Consequently  you  expected  the  men  to  take  hold  of 
them  in  your  way,  not  in  their  own  way.  It  would 
have  been  better,  perhaps,  to  select  something  you 
did  not  like  yourself.  Then  you  could  have  looked 
at  it  more  from  others'  point  of  view." 

"I  know  you're  quite  right,"  said  Harvey,  some- 


A   CANOE   ACCIDENT  in 

what  disconsolate,  but  humble.  "You  always  are. 
I  'm  quite  aware  that  the  fault  is  in  me.  It 's  queer, 
is  n't  it,  that  one  person  should  be  unfit  for  so  many 
different  things  ?  It  shows  an  incapacity  almost 
amounting  to  genius,  I  should  say." 

"  Don't  be  cynical,"  Marcus  answered,  almost 
shortly.  "  You  're  fit  for  anything,  if  you  only  go  at 
it  right." 

"Thank  you.  I  begin  to  doubt  whether  I  shall 
ever  be  fit  for  philanthropy,  either  practical  or  spec 
ulative.  The  dirt,  Marc,  and  the  vulgarity,  —  you 
would  n't  think  I  was  the  one  to  mind  such  things, 
would  you  ?  But  I  do.  They  don't  bother  me  for 
once ;  but  I  get  sick  of  them.  That 's  the  practical. 
And  the  theoretical — that's  Henry  George  and  Rus- 
kin.  They  fly  too  high  for  me.  I  can't  get  off  the 
ground.  I  strain  and  sweat,  but  I  can't  get  off  the 
ground." 

The  wind  was  rising  outside,  and  now  and  then 
a  puff  of  the  warm,  dead  air  came  through  the  win 
dow.  Two  girls  and  a  man,  hurrying  by  in  the 
street,  laughed  and  chattered.  Then  the  man  swore 
vigorously,  probably  at  an  extra  deluge  from  some 
drenched  bough. 

Marcus  turned  his  chair  a  little,  first  to  one  side 
and  then  to  the  other.  At  last  he  spoke.  "I'm  not 
wholly  surprised.  You  remember  I  said  to  you  long 


ii2        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

ago,  that  for  a  true,  deep,  serious  nature  like  yours 
there  could  be  but  one  lasting  foundation  for  philan 
thropic  effort.  You  have  n't  found  that  yet.  It  will 
find  you.  You  will  waver  in  the  abyss  a  little  longer ; 
then  you  will  find  beneath  you  the  support  which  is 
sure  and  eternal." 

To  this  Harvey  made  no  direct  reply.  A  few  mo 
ments  later,  however,  he  spoke  again :  "I  think  I 
shall  leave  this  in  a  day  or  two." 

Again  Marcus  received  the  remark  without  sur 
prise.  "  I  have  been  looking  for  it,"  he  said.  "  I  don't 
feel  that  the  summer  has  been  wasted.  When  you 
get  away  from  here,  back  into  that  other  world,  you 
will  feel  the  strangeness  of  it  more  than  ever." 

"  Apparently  I  shan't  belong  in  any  world." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  will.  You  belong  in  our  world.  But 
all  progress  that  is  worth  anything  comes  slowly. 
Tell  me  what  you  mean  to  do." 

Harvey  shook  his  head.  "  I  don't  know,"  he  re 
plied. 

"  Will  you  go  back  into  your  uncle's  office  ?  " 

"  Never ! "  was  the  brief,  effective  answer.  Then, 
as  his  friend  asked  no  further  question,  some  more 
elaborate  attempt  at  explanation  came  at  last.  "I 
could  n't  do  that.  What  I  've  read  this  summer  goes 
too  far  for  me  in  some  ways  ;  but  I  could  n't  go  back 
into  the  money  atmosphere  after  it." 


A   CANOE   ACCIDENT  113 

"What  did  I  say?"  suggested  Marcus. 

"  No,  I  shan't  do  that.  But  I  shall  go  back  and 
live  for  a  while  in  the  larger  world,  I  suppose.  Why, 
just  now  I  feel  that  I  want  things,  Marc."  As  he 
said  this,  he  sat  up  and  spoke  with  unusual  energy. 
"  I  want  things,  just  because  they  're  forbidden,  per 
haps.  I  want  to  go  to  the  theatre  —  and  get  supper 
at  the  Touraine  —  and  to  drive  an  auto  as  hard  as 
she  '11  go,  and  harder  ;  I  want  to  get  my  hand  on  the 
tiller  of  a  boat  and  have  her  jump  and  bound  under 
me.  I  want  to  touch  luxury  and  wealth  —  just  to  see 
how  they  feel  once  more,  and  whether  they  are  as 
hollow  as  these  fellows  make  them  out.  I  've  got  to 
get  at  things,  you  know,  by  actual  touch,  before  they 
mean  anything  to  me."  He  spread  out  his  broad, 
brown  hand,  and  smoothed  the  air  before  him,  as  if 
it  were  some  exquisite,  delicate,  fragile  tissue. 

Marcus  nodded  and  spoke  without  a  trace  of  stern 
ness.  "  I  don't  blame  you,"  he  said.  "  I  'm  just  as 
sure,  as  I  can  be  of  anything,  where  you'll  end 
up.  But  such  strong,  splendid  natures  as  yours  are 
rooted  deep,  deep  down  in  the  soil  they  were  born 
in,  and  you  can't  transplant  them  all  at  once,  nor 
without  a  wrench." 

Harvey  seemed  to  pay  very  little  attention  to  these 
complimentary  expressions.  He  lay  back  again  on 
the  sofa,  and  for  a  long  time  he  did  not  speak  a 


n4        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

word.  The  time  was  so  long,  in  fact,  that  Marcus 
turned  to  his  desk,  and  pulling  some  papers  from  a 
drawer,  very  soon  became  absorbed  in  them. 

It  was  Harvey  who  at  last  broke  the  silence.  "  Do 
you  know  who  Maggie  O'Brien  is  ?"  he  asked. 

Marcus  turned  round  very  sharply  this  time,  and 
there  was  the  hint  of  a  frown  on  his  forehead.  "  Yes/' 
he  said. 

"You  know  that  her  father  was  a  porter  with  the 
Peters  Ink  Company  for  twenty  years,  and  that  when 
the  Ink  Trust  was  formed  last  year  —  chiefly  by  my 
uncle  —  her  father  lost  his  job  —  and  was  thrown  on 
the  street  —  and  got  to  drinking  —  and  is  in  the  asy 
lum  now  —  for  good  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Marcus  again. 

"  It  was  an  awfully  hard  case,"  Harvey  concluded. 
Marcus  again  agreed,  monosyllabically.  Then  find 
ing  that  nothing  more  was  forthcoming,  he  took  up 
the  subject  from  his  own  point  of  view.  "  It  was  a 
hard  case,"  he  repeated,  "though  there  is  usually 
something  to  be  said  on  the  other  side.  It  was  one 
of  those  cases  that  are  coming  to  us  constantly,  of 
poor,  blind  creatures,  who  cannot  help  themselves, 
crushed  and  thrown  away.  But,  Harvey,  I  've  been 
wanting  to  speak  to  you  about  just  that.  Only  I 
couldn't  make  up  my  mind  to  do  it." 

"  On  account  of  my  uncle  ?   I  see." 


A   CANOE   ACCIDENT  115 

"  No,  on  your  own  account.  You  know  the  girl 
is  pretty  and  attractive." 

Harvey  sat  straight  up.    "  Well  ?  " 

"  And  people  have  talked." 

"  Talked  ?  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  I  have  more  than  absolute  confidence 
in  you,  and  I  should  rather  never  have  mentioned  it. 
But  I  suppose  you  may  have  taken  some  little  notice 
of  the  girl,  on  account  of  her  history.  At  any  rate, 
you  have  made  inquiries  about  her." 

"  Noticed  ?  Inquiries  ?  "  Harvey  was  walking  up 
and  down  the  room  now,  in  a  state  of  excitement 
unusual  for  him.  "  To  think  of  it,  Marc !  The  girl  is 
pretty,  as  you  say,  and  I  Ve  exchanged  a  word  or 
two  with  her  occasionally,  as  it 's  natural  for  me  to 
do  with  a  pretty  girl.  Inquiries !  Why,  I  did  ask 
the  fellows  the  details  about  her  father,  when  I  first 
heard  of  the  matter.  But  when  you  think  why  I  'm 
living  in  this  forsaken  hole !  Marc,  what  do  they 
say  ?  What  does  it  all  mean  ?  " 

"Well,"  answered  Upham  firmly,  though  a  little 
reluctantly,  "  a  man  told  me  the  other  day  that  your 
uncle  had  ruined  the  father,  and  that  now  you  were 
going  to  ruin  the  daughter.  It  simply  shows  that 
one  can't  be  too  careful." 

Harvey  stopped  his  walk.  He  had  got  himself 
under  control.  " Good-night,  Marc,"  he  said.  "Til 


n6       BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

be  out  of  this  by  to-morrow,  or  next  day,  at  far 
thest." 

Marcus  rose  and  grasped  his  friend's  hand.  "  Don't 
take  the  thing  too  much  to  heart,"  he  urged.  "  Such 
matters  will  come  up.  Absolutely  no  blame  can  at 
tach  to  you.  And  there  is  no  hurry  about  your  go 
ing.  But  I  thought  it  almost  necessary  you  should 
know." 

"  Of  course,  of  course.    It 's  only  one  thing  more." 

He  turned  to  go ;  but  Marcus  followed  him  out 
and  reasoned  with  him  gently,  till  the  world  began 
to  look  a  little  kindlier.  When  they  parted  at  last, 
their  good-night  was  as  cordial  as  it  had  ever  been. 

As  Harvey  walked  slowly  down  the  street,  the 
heavy  oppression  of  the  damp  autumn  evening  was 
all  about  him.  Disturbed  and  restless  as  he  was,  it 
seemed  impossible  to  go  indoors.  Nine  o'clock  was 
just  striking.  The  stars  glimmered  quietly  through 
the  mist.  The  steady  rush  of  the  river  over  the  low 
dam  could  be  heard,  not  far  away.  An  hour's  sharp 
paddling  in  his  canoe  suggested  itself  as  the  readiest 
method  to  quiet  his  disturbed  spirits.  For  him  the 
full,  tense  play  of  the  muscles  generally  offered  the 
readiest  solution  of  difficult  mental  problems. 

He  made  his  way  at  once  to  the  little  boathouse 
where  the  canoe  was  kept,  and  soon  found  himself 
afloat.  The  rain  and  dampness  had  frightened  most 


A   CANOE   ACCIDENT  117 

of  the  usual  pleasure  seekers,  and  the  river  was  soli 
tary  except  for  here  and  there  a  drifting  idler  who 
preferred  the  romantic  to  the  comfortable.  Harvey 
went  down-stream  first,  now  keeping  in  the  middle, 
in  the  full  glitter  of  the  dim  starlight,  sending  the 
water  swirling  off  in  countless  eddies  from  his  busy 
paddle,  now  running  close  to  the  bank,  rounding 
dark  corners  where  the  willows  hung  low,  trailing 
their  long  branches  in  the  current.  Here  and  there  a 
frog  broke  the  murmur  of  the  stream  with  his  big 
bass. 

Though  Harvey  went  rapidly  —  almost  too  rapidly 
for  the  darkness  —  the  speed  of  the  river  left  his 
muscles  little  work,  and  he  made  it  up  by  thinking. 
It  was  all  thrown  away  then,  this  long,  dull  summer, 
which  he  had  hoped  would  lead  to  so  much.  All  the 
vague  talks  with  Marcus,  all  the  plodding  hours  spent 
over  big  books  on  tempting,  sunshiny  mornings  — 
what  had  they  led  to  ?  The  accusation  of  a  low  in 
trigue  with  a  factory  girl !  Pah  !  And  whenever  his 
thought  wandered  to  the  future  and  its  possibilities, 
to  new  efforts,  plans,  and  aspirations  of  a  wider  scope, 
something  would  bring  them  back  sharply  to  that 
girl,  that  brown-eyed,  rosy-cheeked,  insignificant, 
commonplace,  Irish  girl. 

When  the  idea  had  pulled  him  up  short  for  the 
tenth  time,  he  turned  his  canoe  about  and  started 


n8        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

back.  Paddling  against  the  stream  was  a  different 
matter  and  much  more  satisfactory.  He  was  deter 
mined  to  go  as  fast  as  when  he  came  down,  and  to 
do  it  required  all  the  strength  and  all  the  skill  he  had. 
Ah,  it  was  life  again,  to  feel  his  back  and  shoulders 
working.  Ruskin  and  Henry  George  for  others.  To 
him  God  had  given  strong,  live  muscles.  All  he 
wanted  was  to  use  them  in  strenuous  activity  from 
day  to  day. 

So  he  thought,  as  he  sped  back,  now  again  in  mid 
stream  through  the  long,  straight,  quiet  reaches,  now 
cutting  the  corners  close,  under  the  dark  willows. 

As  he  came  near  one  of  these  corners,  particularly 
willowy  and  dark,  he  heard  the  voices  of  a  man  and 
a  woman  talking  and  laughing  loudly.  The  man's 
voice  was  coarse,  not  to  say  drunken.  The  woman's 
Harvey  took  to  be  that  of  the  O'Brien  girl.  It  was 
peculiarly  soft,  and  rich,  and  Irish  ;  and  it  recalled  to 
him,  in  an  instant,  the  wrath  and  disgust  which  he 
was  near  forgetting.  To  escape  the  sound  of  it,  he 
redoubled  his  efforts  for  the  sake  of  passing  quickly, 
when,  just  as  he  came  opposite  the  point,  the  dim 
shadow  of  another  canoe  shot  aimlessly  in  front  of 
him.  It  was  hopeless  to  attempt  to  back  water,  equally 
hopeless  to  dodge.  Harvey  had  no  more  than  time 
to  cry,  "  Look  out  for  yourselves ! "  before  the  bow 
of  his  canoe  crashed  into  the  other  nearly  amidships 


A   CANOE   ACCIDENT  119 

and  rolled  it  over.  The  man  swore.  The  girl  shrieked. 
Harvey,  as  cool  as  always,  kicked  off  his  shoes  and 
was  overboard  in  a  minute.  Leaving  the  man  to  shift 
for  himself,  he  struck  out  for  the  girl,  found  her,  for 
tunately,  by  her  half-strangled  shrieks,  got  his  arm 
around  her  and  soon  had  her  ashore.  Meanwhile  the 
man  had  succeeded  in  rescuing  the  canoe  and  himself. 

"Oh,  it's  you,  is  it?"  he  began,  when  he  heard 
the  girl  thanking  her  preserver  by  name.  "  Look 
here !  What  the  hell  did  you  mean  by  running  into 
us  that  way?" 

"  Bother  ! "  said  Harvey,  turning  on  his  heel.  "  Be 
have  yourself  and  get  your  friend  here  home.  She 
needs  it." 

Then  he  went  off  after  his  canoe,  paying  no  atten 
tion  to  the  further  remarks  of  either  the  party  he  had 
obliged,  or  the  party  he  had  n't. 

"  This  is  really  complete  now,"  he  thought  to  him 
self.  "  This  is  really  complete." 

Marcus  thought  so  too,  when  he  heard  the  story 
next  morning.  "Of  course  nobody  could  possibly 
blame  you,"  he  said.  "  But  it  would  be  better  if 
you  had  run  into  somebody  else,  and  still  better  if 
you  had  run  into  nobody  at  all."  And  he  could  not 
help  admitting  that  Harvey's  decision  to  leave  on  the 
following  day  was  a  wise  one,  "  though  I  shall  miss 
you,"  he  said,  "  I  cannot  tell  how  much." 


CHAPTER    XI 

HARVEY'S   PHILANTHROPY 

ON  the  evening  after  Harvey's  aquatic  misadven 
ture,  George  Kent  arrived  in  Robertsville.  Kent  had 
passed  the  preceding  Sunday  at  Cataumet,  Ethel 
having  invited  him  largely  for  the  purpose  of  con 
sulting  about  Harvey's  affairs.  Mr.  Phelps  had  failed 
a  good  deal  during  the  summer,  and  it  seemed 
doubtful  whether  he  would  live  many  months  longer. 
He  himself  did  not  often  refer  to  Harvey,  although 
once  or  twice  he  had  expressed  to  Ethel  or  Lucia  a 
vague  wish  that  things  might  have  been  different. 
That  last  interview  in  the  spring  seemed  to  have 
settled  the  matter  for  him.  Harvey  had  made  his 
decision,  and  decisions  once  made  were  accepted  in 
the  Phelps  family  as  final. 

Ethel  was  not  disposed  to  be  so  easily  satisfied, 
however.  It  is  true,  there  was  a  certain  awkwardness 
in  her  situation.  If  she  begged  Harvey  to  come  back 
and  be  devoted  to  his  uncle,  it  might  seem  as  if  she 
were  begging  him  to  come  back  and  be  devoted  to 
her.  Still,  she  was  of  a  simple  disposition,  and  saw 
her  duty  clearly.  Besides,  her  feelings  toward  Har- 


HARVEY'S   PHILANTHROPY      121 

vey  were  not  of  such  a  sentimental  nature  as  to  ham 
per  her  action.  She  liked  him  as  a  friend  and  rela 
tive,  but  personally  she  was  not  especially  anxious 
for  his  presence.  She  wanted  him  to  come  back, 
on  his  uncle's  account.  If  he  would  come  back  and 
marry  Milly,  it  would  be  best  of  all. 

When  this  view  of  things  was  suggested  to  Milly, 
in  one  of  the  frequent  letters  which  passed  between 
the  friends,  she  returned  a  decided  negative.  "  I 
should  never  marry  him, — nor  he  me,"  she  said. 
"  But  if  you  think  he  ought  to  be  in  Boston  this 
autumn,  and  don't  want  to  write  yourself  and  tell 
him  so,  why  don't  you  get  Mr.  Kent  to  go  up  and 
reason  with  him  ? " 

So  it  came  about  that  Kent  passed  Sunday  at 
Cataumet,  and  on  the  Wednesday  evening  found  him 
self  in  Robertsville. 

He  first  inquired  for  Harvey's  lodgings  and  went 
there,  but  did  not  find  him  in.  She  did  not  know 
where  he  was,  the  landlady  said,  but  he  was  most 
always  at  Mr.  Upham's,  when  he  was  n't  at  home. 

"Just  so,"  answered  Kent.  "I'll  go  to  Mr.  Up 
ham's." 

Harvey  was  not  there  either,  however,  and  the  vis 
itor,  being  ushered  into  Marcus's  study,  found  that 
gentleman  alone  and  at  his  desk,  as  usual.  The  two 
men  had  met  often  enough  in  Cambridge,  knew  each 


122        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

other  well,  and,  on  the  whole,  esteemed  each  other ; 
but  there  was  no  great  cordiality  between  them. 

"Kent?"  said  Upham,  rising  and  shaking  hands. 
"  This  is  unexpected.  Are  n't  you  driven  rather  far 
afield  for  material  ?  " 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  was  the  cheerful  answer.  " My 
material  is  as  abundant  as  yours.  The  laughable  are 
as  ubiquitous  as  the  poor.  I  Ve  no  doubt  they  are 
found  in  Robertsville,  but  I  am  not  after  them." 

"Then"  —  began  the  young  minister,  but  he 
broke  off  abruptly.  "  Sit  down,"  he  said. 

Kent  sat  down  and  concluded  the  other's  sen 
tence  :  "  Then  what  did  I  come  for  ?  I  came  to  see 
Harvey." 

"  I  expect  him  here  every  minute." 

"  Never  mind.  I  'd  rather  have  a  talk  with  you 
first.  How  is  our  little  experiment  getting  on?" 

Marcus  did  not  answer  at  once.  He  had  uncon 
sciously  adopted  his  customary  attitude,  his  chair 
half-turned  facing  his  visitor,  his  legs  crossed,  his 
fingers  pressed  together  at  the  tips.  "  I  am  not  sure 
that  I  quite  understand  you,"  he  said. 

Kent  laughed  a  quiet  appreciative  laugh.  "  I  won 
der  if  I  might  smoke,"  he  asked.  When  he  had  re 
ceived  the  desired  permission,  he  lit  his  cigar.  "  It 
is  strange  how  a  little  smoke  does  relax  things.  You 
ought  to  try  it.  What  I  'm  here  for,  Upham,  is  this. 


HARVEY'S    PHILANTHROPY      123 

Harvey's  uncle  and  aunt  and  cousin  and  I  think  he 
ought  to  be  at  home.  What  do  you  think  ?  " 

"He's  going  home  to-morrow,"  was  Marcus's 
answer,  rather  of  the  shortest. 

"  Ah  ?  Then  I  might  have  saved  three  dollars  and 
a  half."  The  humorist  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  to 
ward  the  ceiling.  A  moment  later,  he  added  :  "  That 
means,  I  suppose,  that  the  little  experiment  has  n't 
been  a  success." 

The  remark  did  not  rigidly  demand  an  answer, 
and  Marcus  made  none ;  but  Kent  had  not  been  three 
years  a  journalist  to  be  put  off  in  such  a  fashion  as 
that.  "Look  here,  Upham,"  he  urged,  "I  should 
like  to  have  something  of  a  frank  talk  with  you. 
Where 's  Harvey  going  to  end  up  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know."  The  answer  was  brief ;  but  its 
brevity  seemed  somehow  to  show  doubt  and  concern 
rather  than  rudeness,  and  Kent  so  accepted  it. 

"  Well,  where  do  you  wish  him  to  end  up  ?  "  he  went 
on.  "  In  general,  I  suppose  you  believe  that  any  man 
is  better  off  anywhere  than  in  the  world  of  money  and 
business,  and  that  it  is  more  difficult  for  a  rich  man, 
etc.,  etc.  ?  I  speak  it  in  all  seriousness,  and  not  as  a 
comic  journalist." 

Marcus  at  last  roused  himself  to  take  an  active  part 
in  the  conversation.  He  crossed  his  legs  the  other 
way  and,  for  a  moment,  rested  both  hands  on  the  arms 


i24       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

of  his  chair.  "  I  don't  think  we  have  much  common 
ground,  Kent,"  he  answered,  "  unless  it  be  our  affec 
tion  for  Harvey  ;  but  I  know  that  men  like  you  are 
often  driven  into  cynicism  by  their  hatred  of  cant, 
and  I  hate  cant  myself  and  love  honesty.  I  will  try 
not  to  seem  to  talk  cant  to  you.  At  the  same  time,  I 
hate  to  see  any  man,  with  any  good  in  him,  throw 
himself  into  the  business  world  of  to-day.  You  know, 
just  as  well  as  I  do,  that  the  business  world  of  to-day 
is  mean,  corrupt,  greedy,  cruel,  and  merciless." 

Kent  rose  and  flicked  the  long  gray  ash  of  his 
cigar  into  the  fireplace.  Then  he  sat  down  again  leis 
urely.  "  The  business  world,"  he  said,  "  is  only  a  lit 
tle  section  of  human  life.  And  life  is  mean,  corrupt, 
greedy,  cruel,  and  merciless.  You  try  to  sweeten  it 
by  a  little  love,  and  I  by  a  little  laughter.  So  much 
for  the  abstract.  Now,  here 's  Harvey.  Is  he  cut  out 
by  nature  for  a  career  of  philanthropy,  self-abnega 
tion,  long  sacrifice,  and  the  cult  of  the  ideal  ?  Does 
he  look  it?" 

Marcus's  fingers  had  slipped  into  their  normal 
position.  His  head  was  bent  forward.  "  I  am  not 
sure,"  he  said,  from  the  slow  depth  of  his  thoughts. 

"  Has  this  summer's  experience  made  it  seem 
likely?" 

The  total  lack  of  response  and  the  air  of  dejection 
that  went  with  it  gave  the  question  a  sufficient  answer. 


HARVEY'S    PHILANTHROPY      125 

"  Now  look  at  the  other  side,"  went  on  the  remorse 
less  inquisitor.  "  Here  is  Mr.  Phelps,  senior,  dying." 

At  this  Marcus  looked  up  sharply. 

"Oh,  I  don't  mean  that  he  is  on  his  deathbed  at 
this  moment,  but  it  is  only  a  matter  of  a  few  months. 
Of  course,  Mr.  Phelps  is  a  man  of  business,  and  his 
standards  are  business  standards,  not  those  of  the 
church,  perhaps,  or  yours  ;  but,  tried  by  his  own,  he  is 
an  honorable  man.  He  has  brought  up  this  nephew 
to  succeed  him,  offers  him  a  fair  career,  a  splendid 
opening,  suited  to  his  tastes,  and  needs,  and  habits, 
an  excellent  wife,  in  every  way  suited  to  him,  also, 
if  he  wants  her.  If  it  had  n't  been  for  you,  for  your 
scruples  and  ideals,  Mr.  Phelps' s  plans  would  have 
been  fully  carried  out.  I  'm  not  blaming  you,  Upham. 
I  can  put  myself  in  your  place  —  that  is  the  natural 
function  of  a  comic  journalist,  who  is  otherwise  a 
rather  despicable  person.  But  I  do  ask  you  to  take 
Harvey's  character  carefully  into  account  and  con 
sider  whether  you  have  n't  made  a  mistake,  and  if 
so,  whether  you  can't  do  something  to  rectify  it." 

There  was  a  long  pause.  Kent  continued  to  smoke 
comfortably.  Marcus  sat  motionless,  with  his  head 
bowed  a  little,  and  deep  reflection  on  his  brow. 

When  he  spoke,  his  voice  had  regret  in  it,  but  also 
a  touch  of  sternness.  "  No,"  he  said,  "  I  find  nothing 
to  regret.  If  Mr.  Phelps' s  plans  are  thwarted,  I  am 


126        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

sorry  for  him  personally,  but  I  think  the  plans  were 
of  a  kind  that  did  not  especially  carry  their  own  bless 
ing  with  them.  As  for  Harvey,  if  he  is  what  I  still 
believe  he  is,  I  have  done  the  best  for  him  that  could 
be  done.  There  must  be  suffering,  there  must  be  dis 
appointment,  there  must  be  travail  of  spirit,  if  souls 
are  to  be  won  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven.  Some 
are  born  into  it  naturally.  Some  seem  almost  to  be 
born  out  of  it,"  — 

"  Like  me,"  interrupted  Kent. 

Upham  did  not  notice  the  interruption.  "  But  most 
of  us,"  he  went  on,  "  are  born  in  a  middle  world.  We 
may  go  upward.  We  may  go  downward.  I  believe 
that  Harvey  will  go  upward,  and  I  have  done  what 
I  can  to  help  him.  If  I  am  wrong,  he  will  probably 
end  where  his  uncle  wishes  him  to." 

Kent  looked  as  if  he  might  have  made  some  reply ; 
but  at  that  moment  a  knock  at  the  door  introduced 
the  subject  of  this  animated  struggle  between  light 
and  darkness. 

Harvey  entered  the  room  as  serene  as  usual, 
though  there  was  an  odd  scratch  or  bruise  on  his 
right  cheek-bone,  as  of  a  blow.  When  he  saw  Kent, 
he  stopped,  and  his  brow  contracted  slightly.  "  You 
here,  George  ?  "  he  said. 

"  George  is  here,"  answered  the  owner  of  the 
name,  nodding,  but  not  getting  up  from  his  chair. 


HARVEY'S   PHILANTHROPY      127 

"Why?"  was  Harvey's  brief  and  not  very  civil 
inquiry. 

But  Kent  understood  and  forgave.  "  Because  your 
uncle  is  far  from  well  and  I  think  when  he  comes  back 
to  town  in  October  you  should  be  there  too,  and 
because  I  hoped  that  meantime  you  would  like  to 
take  a  walking-trip  in  the  White  Mountains  with 
me." 

"  I  should,"  said  Harvey,  "  You  can  put  up  with 
me  to-night,  and  to-morrow  we  '11  go  back  to  Boston 
together." 

As  he  said  this,  he  sat  down  on  the  sofa.  The 
others  somehow  seemed  to  expect  him  to  say  some 
thing;  but  for  a  while,  he  didn't.  "I  rather  wish 
you  were  out  of  the  way,  George,"  he  began,  at 
last. 

"  I  could  go,  I  suppose,"  George  suggested.  Nev 
ertheless,  he  made  no  move. 

"  No,"  answered  Harvey  slowly,  "  never  mind. 
You  would  get  hold  of  it  all  sooner  or  later  and  it 
might  as  well  be  over  and  done  with.  There 's  a  girl 
here." 

"I  imagined  there  would  be,"  was  Kent's  quiet 
comment. 

"  Oh,  she  is  n't  a  girl  that  counts,  for  me.  She 
works  in  the  mill.  But  the  people  talk  in  a  place  like 
this.  Yesterday  I  pulled  her  out  of  the  river,  her  and 


128        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

her  swain,  after  dumping  them  in  —  by  accident, 
naturally." 

"  Oh,  Harvey,"  interrupted  his  friend,  repressing 
his  amusement,  so  far  as  possible,  "  I  could  n't  have 
imagined  that.  You  are  certainly  a  continuous  show, 
a  regular  comic  biograph." 

Here  Marcus  felt  called  upon  to  say  a  word.  He 
was  a  little  annoyed.  Why  had  Harvey  been  obliged 
to  bring  up  this  matter  at  all,  now  that  it  was  past 
and  done  with  ?  "  You  must  understand,  Kent,"  be 
gan  the  minister,  "  that  Harvey  has  not  been  to  blame 
in  the  affair  the  least  in  the  world.  He  has  simply 
been  unfortunate." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  understand,"  Kent  answered.  "Simply 
unfortunate.  Poor  Harvey  !  "  Once  more  the  jour 
nalistic  impulse  to  laughter  was  almost  too  much  for 
him. 

But  Harvey  showed  no  disposition  at  all  to  laugh 
ter.  "  I  just  wanted  George  to  know  the  facts.  The 
rest  of  the  story  is  for  you,  Marc." 

"  Rest  ?  "  inquired  Marcus  anxiously. 

"  Rest.    I  Ve  just  come  from  it." 

Then  the  former  football  champion  explained  him 
self,  with  obvious  reluctance  and  very  deliberate 
speech,  "  I  was  passing  through  the  little  alley  by 
the  churchyard,  you  know.  I  heard  the  voice  of  the 
O'Brien  girl  coming,  and  another  girl,  and  two  fel- 


HARVEY'S    PHILANTHROPY      129 

lows.  They  were  making  considerable  racket.  The 
fellows  sounded  as  if  they  had  been  drinking.  I 
thought  there  might  be  trouble,  but  I  could  n't  go 
back.  When  I  came  up  to  them,  they  about  blocked, 
the  alley.  I  took  no  notice,  just  turned  to  the  girl 
and  was  going  to  ask  if  she  was  all  right  after  her 
wetting.  But  the  fellow  with  her  butted  in.  'Say/ 
he  began,  '  what  the  hell  did  you  run  into  me  for  ? ' 
'  It  was  clumsy,'  said  I,  as  quietly  as  I  could.  '  Still 
there  were  two  of  us.  Just  stand  back  and  let  me 
pass,  please.'  '  Damn  it,  no,'  said  he.  And  he  struck 
at  me.  I  could  n't  stand  that.  So  I  put  my  left  some 
where  in  the  vicinity  of  his  ear,  and  he  went  down. 
The  other  fellow  let  out  a  vicious  one,  which  I  did  n't 
quite  dodge,  as  you  see.  But  I  side-stepped,  and  put 
my  shoulder  into  his  wind,  as  we  do  on  the  gridiron. 
Then  I  passed."  Kent's  mirth  was  by  this  time  un 
controllable.  "  Harvey ! "  he  cried.  "  Oh,  Harvey ! 
To  think  of  it !  " 

"It  is  funny,"  answered  the  victim,  without  the 
faintest  shadow  of  laughter.  "  Two  men  knocked  out 
and  one  girl's  reputation  damaged !  My  philan 
thropy  !  " 

Then  he  went  up  to  Marcus,  who  was  looking  very 
dark,  and  held  out  his  hand.  "  I'm  sorry,  old  man; 
but  I  'm  going  in  the  morning.  Good-by."  And  as 
Marcus,  no  doubt  unconsciously,  seemed  to  shrink 


i3o        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

a  little,  Harvey  added.  "  There 's  no  blood  on  it.  I 
didn't  draw  any."  A  remark  which  sent  Kent  off 
into  fresh  convulsions. 

But  in  a  minute  Marcus  saw  the  absurdity  of  his 
anger.  "  Good-night,  my  boy,  "  he  said,  "  not  good- 
by,  for  of  course  I  shall  see  you  in  the  morning. 
This  has  all  been  very  unfortunate.  I  can't  say  how 
sorry  I  am.  But  it  is  a  mere  miserable  accident.  It 
can't  change  your  future  one  iota  —  and  won't  —  not 
one  iota.  I  believe  in  you  as  much  as  ever  I  did  — 
more." 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  Harvey  simply.  "  Good 
night." 

The  next  morning  he  bade  farewell  to  Roberts- 
ville  with  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  even  greater  than 
that  with  which  he  had  arrived  there. 


CHAPTER    XII 

THE  FL^SHPOTS 

HARVEY  and  Kent  returned  from  the  walking  trip  on 
Saturday,  the  first  day  of  October,  and  Sunday  noon 
Harvey  dined  with  his  uncle,  who  had  been  estab 
lished  in  town  nearly  a  week.  Mr.  Phelps  was  stronger 
that  he  had  been  in  the  middle  of  the  summer  ;  but 
he  was  still  unable  to  do  more  than  drive  to  the 
office  for  an  hour  or  two  irregularly  ;  and  the  doctor 
gave  no  hope  of  his  being  materially  better,  while  a 
turn  for  the  worse  might  come  at  any  moment. 

Harvey  was  cordially  welcomed  by  all  the  family, 
and  at  dinner  no  reference  was  made  to  his  past  or 
future  pursuits.  The  talk  ran  chiefly  on  Cataumet  and 
the  sayings  and  doings  there,  visitors  who  had  come 
and  gone,  improvements  about  the  place,  the  changes 
in  old  haunts,  and  the  purchase  of  new  boats  and 
horses. 

"  Too  bad  that  you  were  n't  able  to  use  the  yacht 
this  year,"  Harvey  said. 

"  Was  n't  it  ?  "  answered  Ethel.  "  Captain  Jim  was 
terribly  disappointed.  Still,  the  Warings  have  had  it, 
you  know.  And  they  are  having  a  lovely  time." 


132        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

After  dinner  Harvey  and  his  uncle  were  left  alone 
together,  although  the  former  would  have  much 
preferred  some  other  arrangement.  He  was  too  un 
decided  and  irresolute  about  his  future  to  wish  to 
discuss  it.  But  Mr.  Phelps  never  made  much  allow 
ance  for  irresolution  in  any  one,  and,  for  him,  at  least, 
time  was  pressing. 

"  They  have  missed  you  at  the  office,  my  boy,"  he 
began. 

Harvey  doubted  this  ;  but  he  did  not  say  so,  simply 
bit  off  the  end  of  his  cigar  and  expressed  a  regret 
that  his  uncle  could  not  smoke. 

"I  miss  it,"  said  Mr.  Phelps  simply  ;  "but  not  so 
much  as  other  things."  He  was  not  ready  to  discuss 
himself  just  then,  however ;  so  he  returned  to  the  ori 
ginal  subject.  "  Has  your  summer  been  a  success? " 

"  No,  sir."  It  was  this  perfect  candor  which  en 
deared  Harvey  to  his  uncle  and  to  others. 

Mr.  Phelps  smiled.  "  I  might  say  I  am  sorry  ;  but 
I  suppose  you  would  hardly  believe  me.  Perhaps 
you  would  n't  care  to  tell  me  all  about  it  ?  " 

Harvey  did  not  care  to  ;  but  he  realized  that 
everything  would  come  out  somehow.  After  all, 
what  difference  did  it  make  ?  "  Oh,  there 's  not  much 
to  tell,  sir.  I  started  in  smoothly  and  enjoyed  it  at 
first,  but  it  ended  in  a  scrap.  I  found  out  that  I  was 
no  more  fit  for  philanthropy  than  for  business." 


THE   FLESHPOTS  133 

"  But  I  thought  you  were  peculiarly  fitted  for 
business." 

To  this  there  was  no  answer.  Perhaps  the  older 
man  hardly  expected  any.  He  leaned  back  in  his 
chair,  with  his  eyes  half  closed,  absorbed  in  thought, 
while  his  nephew  gazed  at  the  ceiling  and  purled 
vigorously. 

At  length  Mr.  Phelps  spoke  again.  "And  after 
this  experience,  are  n't  you  ready  to  come  back  to  us 
in  the  office?" 

Harvey's  answer  now  was  quick  and  decisive. 
"  No,  sir,  I  can't  do  that." 

Mr.  Phelps's  face  showed  his  disappointment.  There 
was  an  added  grayness  in  the  cheeks,  a  little  tremor 
around  the  mouth,  which  Harvey  had  never  noticed 
before,  and  which  made  him  feel  his  uncle's  weak 
ness.  Ah,  if  only  things  were  different ! 

But  these  signs  were  visible  for  hardly  a  second. 
Amos  K.  Phelps  was  not  the  man  to  let  bodily  weak 
ness  break  his  spirit.  "  I  had  still  hoped,"  he  began 
with  perfect  calmness.  But  he  did  not  finish  his  sen 
tence.  "  What  will  you  do,  then  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  don't  know,  sir." 

"A  man  of  your  abilities  can't  lie  fallow  and 
rot." 

"  I  don't  know  about  the  abilities,  Uncle  Amos. 
But  I  don't  mean  to  lie  fallow.  I  shall  work,  when 


134        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

I  've  made  up  my  mind.  I  can't  work  till  I  do.  I  've 
got  to  look  about  me  first  and  get  adjusted." 

The  uncle  nodded.  Then  he  plunged  directly  into 
the  subject  that  lay  nearest  his  heart.  "  I  don't  want 
to  hurry  you,"  he  said  ;  "  but  there  is  hurry,  so  far  as 
I  am  concerned.  I  've  got  only  a  little  while  more ; 
only  a  few  years,  or  months,  or  weeks,  it  may  be. 
Never  mind,  we  won't  discuss  the  date,"  — as  Harvey 
attempted  some  natural  protest ;  "  but  I  've  got  to 
have  things  settled  finally.  I  can't  let  uncertainties 
go  on  any  longer.  As  you  know,  my  whole  life  has 
been  wrapped  up  in  that  business,  and  my  money 
must  stay  in  it,  after  me.  I  shall  provide  properly 
for  Ethel,  of  course,  and  if  only  you  and  she  —  well, 
never  mind  that.  She  will  always  have  everything 
she  wants.  Now  if  you  will  promise  me  to  go  into 
the  business,  squarely,  honestly,  and  devote  your 
life  to  it  —  so  far,  of  course,  as  one  can  make  such 
a  promise,  allowing  for  unforeseen  contingencies,  I 
trust  your  word  absolutely  —  I  shall  leave  you  every 
thing  I  have,  without  conditions." 

The  business-like  simplicity  of  the  statement 
touched  Harvey.  His  uncle  did  not  say  that  he  was 
a  dying  man  and  that  his  nephew's  duty  to  him  was 
a  deep  and  sacred  obligation,  which  should  precede 
all  others.  There  was  no  appeal  for  pity,  none  to 
conscience  ;  and  conscience  and  natural  tenderness 


THE    FLESHPOTS  135 

responded  a  thousand  times  more  on  that  account. 
With  them  worked  the  sense  of  disappointment  in 
the  summer's  effort,  the  failure  to  sustain  and  real 
ize  all  the  ideals  learned  from  Marcus,  the  apparent 
hopelessness  of  trying  to  change  flesh  into  spirit,  of 
seeking  to  wean  a  thoroughly  earthly  frame  from 
the  warm  contact  and  pleasant  odor  of  the  world.  It 
seemed  to  be  a  last  chance,  too.  Millions  were  slip 
ping,  like  water,  from  his  grasp ;  and  millions  are 
tempting  things. 

All  this  passed  through  Harvey's  mind  before  he 
answered,  in  his  usual  slow  and  quiet  tone,  "  I  can't 
do  it,  Uncle  Amos  ;  not  now.  I  'm  sorry." 

If  the  "now"  gave  Amos  a  touch  of  hope,  he 
did  not  show  it,  any  more  than  he  showed  his  disap 
pointment.  "  I  am  sorry,  too,"  he  said.  "  And  I  still 
trust  that  you  may  see  the  matter  differently  before 
I  go.  Meantime  I  must  settle  things  at  once,  to  be 
prepared  for  the  unexpected." 

"  Don't  think  of  me  at  all,"  Harvey  urged.  "  I 
certainly  have  n't  deserved  it.  Leave  me  on  one  side 
altogether.  I  know  you  will  do  what  is  right  for 
Ethel." 

"  I  am  accustomed  to  take  a  man  at  his  word," 
Mr.  Phelps  answered  gravely.  "  And,  indeed,  if  you 
feel  that  my  money  is  —  *  tainted '  — that  is  the  proper 
expression,  I  believe  —  a  little  of  it  would  be  as  bad 


136        BETWEEN  TWO   MASTERS 

as  a  great  deal."  Then  he  went  on  in  a  more  kindly 
tone,  as  he  saw  Harvey's  expression  of  distress.  "  I 
did  n't  intend  to  say  anything  harsh  ;  but  it  is  diffi 
cult  for  you  and  me  to  understand  one  another." 

"  Yes,"  said  Harvey,  "  very  difficult.  All  I  meant 
was  that  I  have  enough  of  my  own.  If  I  refuse  to 
comply  with  your  wishes,  there  is  no  reason  why  you 
should  consider  me  at  all." 

It  seemed  to  Amos  that  here  might  be  a  vulner 
able  point.  "  Have  you  enough  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Your 
income  must  be  much  less  than  it  was  when  your 
money  was  with  us.  How  are  you  going  to  live? 
Your  rooms  alone  must  take  a  large  part  of  what 
you  have." 

"  I  have  given  up  my  rooms." 
"  Ah  ?   But  you  must  live  somewhere." 
"  Yes.    I  am  going  to  take  a  room  with  George 
Kent  on  Columbus  Avenue.   It  will  be  cheaper." 

Then  Amos  gave  up  the  battle.  This  was  the  real 
thing.  Harvey  had  never  been  either  luxurious  or 
self-indulgent ;  but  during  the  ten  years  that  he  had 
spent  in  his  uncle's  house  he  had  become  accustomed 
to  every  comfort  that  wealth  can  supply,  and  both 
in  college  and  during  the  past  winter  he  had  shown 
no  disposition  to  change  his  habits.  Now  he  was  go 
ing  to  live  in  cheap  lodgings,  and  probably  to  eat  in 
cheap  eating-houses.  True,  the  very  change  might 


THE   FLESH  POTS  137 

bring  him  to  his  senses,  though  this  was  improbable. 
Meantime  it  was  evident  that  there  was  something  at 
work  here  deeper  and  more  serious  than  Amos  had 
appreciated.  After  this  discovery  he  dropped  the 
conversation  where  it  was  ;  and  the  two  soon  parted, 
neither  of  them  at  all  well  pleased  with  the  turn  it 
had  taken. 

In  the  evening  Kent  called  at  the  Phelps's.  He 
found  all  three  members  of  the  family  sitting  in  the 
library  and  received  a  cordial  welcome ;  for  Mr. 
Phelps  liked  his  sharp,  straightforward,  practical 
views  of  things ;  and  the  ladies  were  always  enter 
tained  with  his  fresh,  crisp  talk,  good-natured  even 
in  its  cynicism.  Just  at  present,  however,  they  were 
chiefly  anxious  to  thank  him  for  his  kind  offices  in 
regard  to  Harvey. 

"  Oh,  I  did  nothing,"  he  said,  when  Ethel  had  at 
tempted  to  act  as  spokesman  for  the  family.  "  That 
matter  had  already  arranged  itself." 

"  I  am  just  as  grateful  for  what  you  would  have 
done,"  Mr.  Phelps  suggested  ;  "  and  I  've  no  doubt 
you  did  a  great  deal,  though  Harvey  himself  has  told 
me  the  summer  was  not  a  success." 

"Has  he,  indeed?"  Kent  inquired.  "He's  the 
frankest  chap  I  ever  saw,  and  much  more  ready  to 
tell  his  failures  than  his  successes.  I  'm  glad.  Then 
I  shan't  be  giving  him  away." 


138        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  He  did  n't  go  much  into  detail,"  Mr.  Phelps 
went  on.  "  But  he  spoke  as  if  there  had  been  a  diffi 
culty  of  some  kind." 

"  A  difficulty  —  oh,  yes,"  and  Kent  burst  out 
laughing  at  the  recollection.  Then  he  narrated,  in 
substance,  with  his  own  peculiar  graphic  vivacity, 
his  arrival  in  Robertsville,  his  interview  with  Marcus, 
and  Harvey's  dramatic  appearance  to  announce  his 
own  discomfiture. 

"  But  those  dreadful  men  might  have  hurt  him," 
suggested  Miss  Lucia  with  maternal  anxiety. 

Kent  reassured  her.  "No,  I  don't  think  they 
might." 

And  Ethel  added  :  "  It  would  take  more  than  two 
men  of  that  kind  to  put  out  Harvey.  You  ought  to 
have  seen  him  up  against  Yale  last  year,  Aunt 
Lucia." 

Mr.  Phelps  had  listened  to  Kent's  story  thought 
fully,  though  with  occasional  gleams  of  amusement 
"You  have  been  with  Harvey  for  the  past  two 
weeks,  Mr.  Kent,"  he  said.  "  Tell  me  what  you  think. 
Has  this  experience  affected  him  at  all  ?  Is  there  any 
chance  of  his  coming  back  to  us  ?  I  talked  with  him 
this  afternoon ;  but  I  did  n't  get  much  encourage 
ment." 

Kent  hesitated  a  little  before  he  answered.  "  It  is 
too  soon  yet.  He  must  have  more  time.  Even  so,  I 


THE    FLESHPOTS  139 

can't  say.  Nothing  can  drive  Harvey  or  change  him 
when  his  mind  is  made  up.  He  will  do  what  he 
thinks  is  the  right  thing,  if  the  heavens  fall.  But  now 
he  does  n't  know  what  is  the  right  thing.  If  you  ask 
my  advice,  I  should  say  it  is  useless  to  urge  him  or 
to  argue  with  him.  Let  his  difficulties  work  them 
selves  out,  if  they  will.  And  make  things  pleasant 
for  him.  Let  him  feel  that  life  is  sweet.  That  sweet 
ness  would  n't  count  one  moment  against  the  clear 
voice  of  conscience  ;  but  just  now  he  is  inclined  to 
agree  with  me  that  conscience  is  making  a  fool  of 
him  and  has  no  real  quarrel  with  the  sweet  of  life 
at  all." 

Mr.  Phelps  listened  to  these  words  of  wisdom  and 
expressed  his  thanks  with  a  certain  degree  of  com 
fort.  Then,  after  a  little  more  desultory  chat,  he  ex 
cused  himself,  on  the  plea  that  his  health  required 
very  early  hours ;  and  his  sister  accompanied  him, 
leaving  Ethel  and  Kent  alone. 

"  We  are  all  very  much  obliged  for  what  you  have 
done  for  us,"  repeated  Ethel,  to  begin  the  conversa 
tion. 

"  There  is  no  need,"  was  Kent's  cheerful  answer. 
"  I  like  Harvey  myself." 

"  Of  course  you  do.  Everybody  does.  But  we  may 
like  people  without  taking  so  much  trouble  for 
them." 


HO        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  No  doubt  of  that.  But  when  I  see  a  friend,  or 
even  a  stranger,  wantonly  throwing  away  the  chance 
of  his  life,  mere  humanity  impels  me  to  hold  his  arm. 
Harvey  is  throwing  away  the  chance  of  his  life  —  for 
a  dream." 

Kent  was  supremely  comfortable,  resting  at  his 
ease  in  the  deep  armchair,  absorbing  with  delight 
all  the  luxury  about  him,  the  soft  colors  of  the  room, 
the  richly  bound  books,  the  pleasant  figure  of  Ethel 
herself,  perfectly  dressed  in  soft  brown  and  gold, 
quiet,  easy,  yet  sufficiently  responsive.  And  he 
thought  with  amusement  rather  than  with  bitterness 
of  the  right  chances  that  so  often  fall  to  the  wrong 
men  in  this  world. 

"A  dream,  yes,"  answered  Ethel  indignantly. 
"  And  not  even  his  own  dream,  but  that  Upham's. 
I  don't  like  Mr.  Upham." 

"  Don't  you  ?  "  said  Kent.  "  Now  I  do.  But  then 
you  don't  know  him,  and  that  makes  a  difference. 
The  reflection  of  our  friends'  friends  is  generally  dis 
tasteful." 

"What  do  you  like  about  him?"  Ethel  asked, 
disregarding  the  generalization,  as  women  will. 

"  Well,  he 's  sincere  —  and  then  he  's  an  idealist 
—  two  things  I  like,  though  I  can't  afford  them. 
And  then  I  like  almost  everyone.  My  vocation  re 
quires  it." 


THE    FLESHPOTS  141 

But  Ethel  was  more  interested  in  her  cousin  than 
in  the  Reverend  Marcus,  and  turned  back.  "You 
will  do  all  you  can  with  Harvey,  won't  you?"  she 
said.  "Of  course  I  shall,  too  —  for  papa's  sake  — 
but—  I  —  I"- 

Kent  perfectly  understood  her  difficulty,  but  he 
hardly  saw  how  he  could  help  her.  "  But  you?"  he 
repeated. 

"  But  I "  —  she  blushed  a  little  and  broke  off.  "  Oh, 
I  do  wish  he  'd  marry  Milly  Erskine,"  she  said. 
"  Then  everything  would  be  complete.  It 's  the  one 
thing  I  want  in  the  world." 

There  was  no  questioning  the  sincerity  of  her  tone, 
and  Kent  did  n't  question  it.  "  How  about  Miss  Er 
skine?"  he  asked. 

"  I  know  nothing  about  Miss  Erskine."  The  tone 
was  petulant  for  Ethel.  "You'd  think  her  feelings 
were  written  all  over  her,  and  she 's  the  closest  per 
son  that  ever  lived." 

Kent  laughed.  "There  are  delightful  complica 
tions  here,"  he  remarked.  "And  to  think  that  Har 
vey  is  the  centre  of  them, — an  ungrateful  fool,  who 
has  the  riches  of  the  world  offered  to  him,  and  shuts 
his  eyes,  and  staggers  about,  running  into  every 
lamp-post  within  a  mile.  If  he  had  been  brought  up 
as  I  have,  and  had  to  fight  his  way,  he  would  behave 
differently." 


142        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"How  were  you  brought  up,  and  how  did  you 
fight?''  asked  Ethel  simply.  "  Do  you  know,  I  think 
I  should  like  fighting?" 

The  hour  and  the  place  and  the  girl  were  tempt 
ing,  for  she  had  that  most  charming  flattery  of  lis 
tening  well ;  and  Kent  allowed  himself  to  talk  of 
himself,  as  a  man  will  in  such  circumstances.  In  his 
light,  easy,  journalistic  fashion,  he  told  her  of  his 
struggle,  in  a  country  printing-office,  as  a  book- 
agent,  in  the  college  bookstore,  long  hours  and  lit 
tle  savings,  just  a  bit  of  success  here  and  there,  then 
the  newspaper  work,  the  first  story  that  brought  him 
a  pleasant  word  from  the  editor,  then  another,  and 
another,  and  a  hit  at  last. 

She  found  it  very  new  and  very  piquant  and  very 
agreeable.  The  man's  manner  was  more  to  her  than 
the  matter,  though  she  did  not  know  that  it  was  so. 
An  hour  passed  lightly. 

As  for  the  narrator,  it  may  have  crossed  his  mind 
that  this  was  not  Milly  Erskine  to  whom  he  was  talk 
ing.  It  certainly  did  cross  his  mind  that  this  was  the 
girl  who  by  all  right  ought  to  marry  Harvey  Phelps, 
and  he  was  firm  in  the  conviction  that  that  marriage 
should  take  place  if  he  could  bring  it  about.  But 
it  may  perhaps  also  have  occurred  to  him  vaguely 
that  she  never  would  marry  Harvey  Phelps,  that  she 
was  a  very  comfortable  girl,  and  that  she  owned  a 


THE    FLESHPOTS  143 

very  comfortable  house.  Would  it  not  have  occurred 
to  you  ? 

He  went  at  last.  " There  is  no  subject  under  heaven 
except  myself  that  I  could  have  talked  about  so  long," 
he  said. 

"I  didn't  know  you  had  been  talking  long,"  was 
the  satisfactory  answer. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

A  GOLF  TOURNAMENT 

THE  sweet  of  life  came  to  Harvey  now,  and  he  took 
it,  steeped  himself  in  it,  half  with  deliberate  intention 
to  test  the  worth  of  it,  half  indifferently,  drifting  with 
the  current,  waiting  for  some  decisive  incident  to  set 
tle  the  future,  without  more  stir  on  his  part.  Tennis, 
golf,  canoeing,  automobiling  more  than  absorbed  his 
time,  and  the  days  floated  away,  one  like  another,  as 
softly  as  feathers  down  the  wind. 

When  his  idleness  was  discovered  at  Cambridge, 
there  arose  an  immediate  demand  that  he  should 
assist  in  the  football  coaching,  for  he  was  supposed 
to  know  his  own  position  as  well  as  any  man  alive ; 
and  this,  too,  offered  delightful  occupation  for  all  the 
hours  he  was  able  to  give,  and  more.  For  the  time, 
Marcus  and  Robertsville  and  vague  ideals  were  laid 
aside,  at  least,  if  not  forgotten. 

In  the  middle  of  October  came  the  great  golf  tour 
nament  for  women,  in  which  Ethel  played  a  prominent 
part  from  the  beginning,  working  her  way  steadily 
along  against  all  contestants,  until  at  last  she  found 
herself  in  the  final  round  with  Miss  Heloise  Winship, 


A   GOLF   TOURNAMENT          145 

hitherto  the  champion  of  Massachusetts  and  a  young 
woman  to  whom  golf  was  of  far  more  consequence 
than  anything  else  in  the  world,  physical  or  moral. 

The  match  was  to  be  played  on  Saturday  after 
noon,  one  round  of  eighteen  holes,  on  the  links  of  the 
Wintergreen  Club.  Numerous  spectators  attended, 
among  them  Harvey  and  Milly,  who  had  both  played 
over  the  ground  with  Ethel,  for  practice,  the  morn 
ing  before.  Just  what  his  present  relation  to  Milly 
was,  Harvey  did  not  exactly  know  —  nor  care.  He 
was  certainly  a  rejected  lover,  and  that  rankled  a 
little,  —  enough,  at  any  rate,  to  keep  him  from  think 
ing  of  making  love  to  her  again.  Perhaps  he  hardly 
wished  to  do  so.  A  good  deal  of  water  had  passed 
under  the  bridges  since  April.  Milly  was  still  charm 
ing  to  him,  but  not  quite  so  overpoweringly  as  then. 
He  could  still  look  upon  her  countenance  and  live  — 
comfortably.  Yet  it  was  a  pleasant  countenance  to 
look  upon,  pleasant  to  smile  at  and  with,  to  talk  to 
and  to  listen  to.  If  you  survive  love,  friendship  comes 
agreeably  after  it,  says  the  German  song- writer ;  and 
the  friendship  that  comes  in  that  way  has  a  peculiar 
bitter-sweet  flavor,  little  hints  of  strange  and  subtle 
intimacy,  which  make  it  altogether  different  from 
other  friendships.  So  Harvey  found  it  and  relished 
it  exceedingly  among  the  various  sweets  of  his  pre 
sent  pleasurable  existence. 


146        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

The  match  was  about  to  begin  and  the  expectant 
caddies  were  straining  at  their  burdens,  like  hounds 
in  the  leash.  Ethel's  antagonist  was  a  small,  slight 
girl,  dark  as  an  Indian,  thin  features,  with  thin,  set 
lips,  brimful  of  an  intensity  that  almost  seemed  to 
give  a  sanguine  glare  to  the  golden  quiet  of  the  Oc 
tober  afternoon.  She  talked  to  Ethel  with  an  elabo 
rate  politeness  which  filled  Milly  with  ecstacy.  As 
for  Ethel  herself,  she  was  perfectly  serene,  as  stately, 
in  her  trim  golf-suit,  as  Juno. 

"  Is  n't  she  a  dear?"  said  Milly  to  Harvey.  "But 
I  hardly  think  she  '11  pull  it  off.  That  other  girl  is 
wiry." 

"  On  a  wire  edge,  I  should  say,"  was  the  quiet 
reply.  "  I  believe  in  Ethel." 

"  Well,  there  's  one  comfort,"  Milly  went  on.  "  She 
won't  care  if  she 's  beaten.  I  should  go  crazy." 

"  Oh,  yes,  she  will,"  Harvey  returned. 

"  Do  you  big,  calm  people  ever  care  ?  "  She  looked 
at  him  rather  impertinently,  all  things  considered. 

"  Big  dogs  and  big  people  don't  bark,  you  know." 
That  was  all  he  had  to  say  to  her  on  that  point. 

Miss  Winship  came  to  the  tee  first.  Her  form  was 
perfect.  Anything  cleaner,  lighter,  more  graceful 
than  her  swing  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  im 
agine,  and  she  drove  a  clear  one  hundred  and  eighty 
yards,  straight  for  the  hole.  Ethel's  drive  was  sliced 


A   GOLF   TOURNAMENT          147 

a  little  and  altogether  her  play  was  heavier  and  less 
sportsmanlike.  The  first  hole  went  to  Miss  Winship 
in  five,  Ethel  having  misjudged  her  put  badly.  On 
the  second  hole,  which  is  longish,  though  over  easy 
ground,  her  luck  was  the  same ;  and  with  the  third, 
very  short,  she  succeeded  no  better,  barely  making  a 
difficult  five  to  her  antagonist's  three.  Three  up  at 
the  very  beginning  made  the  Winshipites  quite  cheer 
ful  ;  but  their  champion's  set  mouth  did  not  relax, 
nor  did  Ethel  show  the  slightest  sign  of  being  rattled. 

"  I  told  you  what  would  happen,"  said  Milly  to 
Harvey,  as  they  watched  Miss  Winship  take  a  hand 
ful  of  dirt  from  the  box  and  proceed  artistically  to 
the  construction  of  her  tee  for  hole  four. 

"  Yes,  you  told  me,"  was  the  tranquil  answer. 

"And  are  you  still  confident?" 

"  Entirely  so.  Look  out  for  Ethel  on  the  home 
stretch." 

Hole  four  is  usually  known  as  "  The  Swamp  Hole  " 
and  is  troublesome.  In  a  straight  line  from  the  teeing 
ground  the  distance  is  but  little  over  two  hundred 
yards ;  but  a  straight  line  on  the  drive  usually  lands 
you  in  ground  from  which  there  is  no  hope  of  escape 
for  any  one.  The  experienced,  therefore,  aim  to  drive 
at  an  angle  in  which  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  will 
take  you  beyond  the  swamp  and  give  a  chance  to 
reach  the  green  by  one  good  stroke  with  the  brassey. 


148        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

Miss  Winship's  drive  was  perfect.  Ethel  followed  her, 
topped,  drove  short  —  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards, 
perhaps,  —  and  had  to  face  the  dilemma  of  either 
working  humbly  and  safely  round  the  corner,  or 
taking  the  chance  of  not  covering  one  hundred  yards 
with  the  brassey  and  plumping  squarely  into  the 
middle  of  the  swamp.  The  spectators  gathered  in  a 
curious  group,  awaiting  her  decision,  Miss  Winship 
and  her  friends  a  little  apart,  simulating  indifference 
and  gazing  at  the  scenery,  Ethel's  supporters  nearer 
to  her,  and  Milly,  at  least,  chafing  against  the  eti 
quette  of  golf  which  forbade  advice  and  suggestions. 
But  Ethel  apparently  had  no  need  of  advice  and 
showed  no  hesitation.  She  examined  carefully  the 
lie  of  the  ball,  which  was  very  favorable.  Then  she 
measured  the  distance  with  her  eye,  then  drew  her 
brassey  from  the  bag  and  made  one  or  two  prelim 
inary  swings  with  it.  Her  mind  was  made  up,  she 
took  her  stand,  shifted  her  footing  once  or  twice  till 
she  got  just  what  she  wanted,  then  stood  firm  as  a 
tree,  and  struck.  The  ball  flew  low  and  straight,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  yards  and  more,  and  landed  on 
the  grass,  within  easy  putting  distance  of  the  hole. 
Applause,  even  from  the  Winshipites  and  the  lady 
herself,  whose  own  performance  after  that  was  not 
much  regarded,  her  five  making  a  poor  showing  be 
side  Ethel's  three. 


A   GOLF   TOURNAMENT          149 

Hole  five  also  fell  to  Ethel,  her  opponent  having 
apparently  been  a  little  unsteadied  and  overshooting 
the  hole,  which  is  short,  thus  reducing  her  lead  to 
one.  On  hole  six,  however,  the  luck  changed  again. 
The  hole  is  very  long,  up  hill  and  down  dale.  Ethel 
got  the  better  start  and  kept  it ;  but  at  the  end  Miss 
Winship,  by  a  phenomenal  put  over  a  perfect  green, 
succeeded  in  halving. 

As  they  followed  the  players  up  the  long  ascent, 
Milly  and  Harvey  got  somewhat  in  the  rear,  and 
when  they  reached  the  top  of  the  hill  the  whole  com 
pany  was  strung  out  before  them  in  a  long,  straggling 
procession.  It  was  a  pretty  sight :  the  cloudless  Oc 
tober  sky,  the  far  woods,  red  and  brown  and  yellow, 
the  lovely,  soft,  sweeping  outlines  of  the  broken  coun 
try,  and  in  the  foreground,  merry,  pleasure-seeking 
humanity,  sprinkling  drops  of  color  all  over  the  fields, 
like  flowers  swaying  in  a  summer  stream. 

"Ah !  "  said  Harvey  involuntarily,  "I  like  it." 

"Like  what?"  asked  his  companion,  less  quick 
than  usual  at  divining  thought. 

"  Pleasure,  sport,  amusement,  gayety,  laughter, 
selfish  indulgence,  golf,  girls,  automobiles,  pomp, 
and  vanity." 

"  Oh,"  gasped  Milly,  her  breath  nearly  taken  away, 
"could  you  say  it  again?  " 

"  No,  I  could  n't.  I  don't  know  how  I  ever  man 
aged  to  say  it  once." 


1 50        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  Nor  I."  Then  she  added  :  "  But  we  can't  stop  to 
talk  just  now,  or  we  shall  lose  the  victory  you  are  so 
sure  of." 

So  they  ran  down  the  hill  like  two  merry  children, 
and  reached  the  teeing  ground  just  in  time  to  watch 
Miss  Winship  finish  her  artistic  tee.  This  time  her 
art  availed  her  nothing,  however.  Ethel  played  care 
fully  and  steadily,  and  won  hole  seven,  tying  the 
score,  then  hole  eight,  then  hole  nine.  Two  up.  It 
was  Milly's  turn  to  be  ecstatic,  and  I  fear  her  aspect 
was  more  triumphant  than  was  wholly  consistent  with 
courtesy,  she  having  a  tendency  to  display  emotions 
which  she  had  no  personal  interest  to  conceal.  Miss 
Winship  and  Ethel  treated  each  other  still  with  the 
same  distant  politeness,  as  if  to  show  that  they  clearly 
recognized  the  claims  of  a  civilization  which  forbade 
their  flying  at  each  others'  throats  ;  and  their  self- 
control  seemed  rather  to  increase  than  to  diminish 
Milly's  volatility. 

Such  a  thing  as  over-confidence  in  Ethel  seemed 
difficult  to  imagine ;  but  whatever  the  cause,  she  lost 
hole  ten.  The  ground  is  bad,  in  spots,  as  every  one 
knows :  and  most  people  are  obliged  to  resort  reluc 
tantly  to  the  mashey.  Ethel  did  not  do  this  when 
she  should  have  done  it,  and  got  behind  in  conse 
quence.  Then  a  careless  put  left  her  on  the  very  lip 
of  the  cup  and  reduced  her  lead  to  one. 


A   GOLF   TOURNAMENT  151 

Miss  Winship's  courage  was  up  again,  and  it  was 
evident  that  courage  was  a  very  essential  part  .of  her 
game.  The  peculiar  difficulties  of  hole  eleven,  the 
most  trying  in  the  links  —  Wandering  Brook,  with 
its  treacherous  margins,  and  the  cavernous  sand-pit 
beyond  —  only  spurred  her  to  unusual  effort,  and  she 
cleared  everything  with  a  few  perfectly  adjusted  and 
brilliant  strokes,  while  poor  Ethel  floundered  and  got 
hopelessly  behind.  Hole  twelve,  however,  long  and 
open,  offering  the  best  chance  for  even,  steady  play, 
went  differently,  and  left  Ethel  again  in  the  lead, 
which  she  lost  once  more  on  hole  thirteen,  with  its 
puzzling  bunker. 

Milly's  patience  was  almost  exhausted.  "Why 
don't  they  push  ahead,  one  or  the  other?"  she  cried, 
as  she  and  Harvey  followed  the  procession  over  the 
wide  fields  to  the  fourteenth  hole.  "  And  Ethel  just 
as  calm  as  if  she  were  starting  for  church !  Who 
would  believe  that  any  game  could  be  at  once  so 
stupid  and  so  exasperating  ?  Let 's  talk  about  some 
thing  else  —  your  summer.  You  have  n't  told  me  all 
about  it  yet." 

"No,"  answered  Harvey,  "and  shan't." 
"  Oh,  yes,  you  will  —  by  degrees.    Do  you  still  be 
lieve  in  —  the  Reverend  Marcus  ?  " 

"Yes,  more  than  ever.    But  in  myself  —  no." 

"  That 's  wrong.    If  you  want  to  do  anything  or  be 


1 52        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

anything  in  the  world,  you  've  got  to  believe  in  your 
self  first  of  all." 

"But  if  one  can't?" 

"  One  can.    I  believe  in  you." 

"  Thanks.  For  stopping  a  runaway  horse  —  or 
coaching  a  football  team.  Those  things  don't  count." 

"  They  do  count,"  she  answered  with  eager  affir 
mation.  <(  In  the  first  place,  what  a  man  is  made  for 
counts.  In  the  second  place,  a  man  who  can  stop  a 
runaway  horse,  as  you  can,  can  stop  anything  —  a 
runaway  woman  —  almost  a  runaway  world." 

Harvey  looked  round,  struck  by  the  energy  of  her 
tone,  puzzled  by  it.  Something  in  his  look  made  her 
turn  her  eyes  away.  "It  is  pleasant  to  have  you  be 
lieve  in  me,"  he  said,  "  or  appear  to,  you  who  don't 
believe  in  many  things." 

"  How  do  you  know  I  don't  ?  "  was  her  brief  reply. 
"  I  believe  Ethel  will  win,  at  any  rate,  since  you  say 
so.  Come,  let 's  see  her  do  it." 

The  prospect  was  somewhat  more  encouraging 
now.  Ethel  had  taken  hole  fourteen  easily.  Fifteen 
gave  her  something  of  a  struggle,  but  she  took  it 
and  was  two  up.  If  she  could  get  the  next,  that 
would  end  it.  But  Milly,  with  characteristic  perver 
sity,  chose  to  renew  the  conversation  instead  of 
watching  the  play. 

"Talking  of  beliefs,"    she  said,    "I  believe  you 


A  GOLF   TOURNAMENT          153 

will  go  back  into  your  uncle's  business  and  marry 
Ethel,  and  all  will  end  as  pleasantly  as  a  fairy  tale." 

"  Your  faculty  of  believing  has  developed  extraor 
dinarily  since  I  used  to  know  you,"  was  Harvey's 
smiling  comment. 

"  It  must  have,  if  I  have  got  where  you  can  laugh 
at  me.  We  have  changed  rdles."  Again  there  was 
a  depth  in  her  tone  which  puzzled  Harvey  a  little. 
But  before  he  had  time  to  think  of  it,  she  went  on 
earnestly  :  "  You  must  have  a  moral  strength  equal 
to  your  physical,  did  you  know  it  ?  " 

"No.    Nor  don't  now." 

"  Nevertheless,  it 's  so.  Here  is  everything  in  the 
world  —  wealth,  an  honorable  position,  an  endless 
chance  for  usefulness,  gratitude,  duty,  love, —  all  pull 
ing  one  way,  and  you  set  your  moral  back  up,  put 
out  your  fore  feet,  and  don't  budge !  See  ?  " 

Harvey  laughed.  "  We  are  losing  the  hole,"  he  said. 

So  they  were.  Miss  Winship  had  halved  the  six 
teenth  with  Bogey,  making  as  perfect  an  approach 
and  put  as  that  fussy  hole  had  ever  seen  and  leaving 
Ethel  high  and  dry  in  the  rear.  The  lead  was  only 
one  now,  and  two  more  holes  taken  like  the  last 
would  forever  disqualify  Harvey  as  a  prophet  in  golf. 

The  struggle  for  seventeen  was  delightful.  Both 
drove  with  excellent  judgment,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
difficult  sand  bunker.  Both  cleared  it  with  the  second 


154        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

stroke,  though  Ethel's  escape  was  narrow  and  the 
lie  very  far  from  satisfactory.  Being  away,  she  played 
next  with  her  iron,  and  just  reached  the  edge  of  the 
green,  at  least  four  yards  from  the  hole.  Miss  Win- 
ship,  however,  took  two  strokes  to  get  on  to  the 
green.  She  was  then  only  a  yard  away  but  was  play 
ing  five,  and  Ethel  still  had  a  chance  to  win  by  a 
long  put.  The  whole  company  was  watching  now, 
gathered  as  close  as  etiquette  would  permit.  Milly 
found  it  hard  not  to  scream,  laid  her  white- gloved 
fingers  on  Harvey's  arm  and  clutched  it.  But  Ethel 
was  serene  as  ever.  She  gripped  her  putter  firmly, 
swung  it  once  or  twice,  ran  her  eye  back  and  forth 
over  the  distance  to  be  traversed,  then  struck.  The 
ball  went  straight  and  even  over  the  beautiful  green, 
smooth  as  a  billiard  table,  rolled  the  full  four  yards,  and 
dropped,  with  a  charming  flat  thud,  into  the  cup.  A 
long  sigh  came  first  from  the  spectators,  then  a  cheer, 
and  the  match  was  over,  two  up,  and  one  to  play. 

As  they  all  three  drove  home  together  in  the  fresh 
autumn  twilight,  Harvey  looked  at  Ethel,  sitting  op 
posite  to  him,  in  her  heavy  cloak  and  furs,  radiant 
with  triumph  and  with  exercise,  and  thought  he  had 
never  before  appreciated  how  charming  she  was. 
She  was  simple,  took  life  simply,  had  no  doubts,  no 
perplexities,  no  complexities.  It  was  a  beautiful  thing 
to  be  born  like  that. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE  CRACKLING  OF  THORNS 

So  the  autumn  slipped  away.  Harvey  was  not  quite 
easy,  not  quite  satisfied  ;  but  he  enjoyed  himself 
immensely,  nevertheless.  As  the  end  of  the  season 
approached,  football  became  more  and  more  absorb 
ing,  and  the  effort  to  beat  Yale  seemed  to  be  the  one 
important  thing  in  life.  Then  the  great  day  came. 
Harvey  took  Ethel,  Milly,  and  Kent  out  to  see  the 
expected  victory  which  was  not  a  victory  at  all,  Yale 
having  it  pretty  much  all  her  own  way.  This  ought 
to  have  been  very  hard  to  bear ;  but  habit  prepares 
us  for  almost  everything. 

In  social  matters  Ethel  was  showing  a  tact  for 
which  no  one  had  ever  given  her  credit.  She  under 
stood  perfectly  that  her  part  was  to  charm  Harvey, 
to  make  him  happy,  contented,  and  comfortable,  yet 
to  keep  herself  in  the  background.  And  she  did  it. 
She  organized  golf  and  tennis  contests.  She  arranged 
auto  trips  to  queer  places  where  one  had  never  been 
before  and  perhaps  never  wished  to  go  again ;  but 
they  served  for  merriment.  She  gave  a  series  of  lit- 


156        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

tie  dinners,  where  everything  was  rich  and  delicate 
and  harmonious,  and  gathered  in  to  them  now  one 
group  of  pretty  girls  and  witty  men,  now  another,  no 
girl  prettier  than  Milly,  no  man  wittier  than  Kent, 
but  a  good  many  who  could  meet  these  two  on  even 
terms.  "All  this,"  Kent  grumbled,  "to  charm  the 
repentant  Puritan  back  into  the  easy  paths  of  prodi 
gality  ;  while  those  of  us  who  have  had  no  thought 
of  straying  from  the  primrose  way  get  never  a  sop  of 
cakes  and  ale.  The  injustice  of  the  world ! " 

Harvey  took  something  the  same  view  of  it,  when 
he  reflected.  What  was  he  to  be  worth  so  much  de 
votion  ?  But  it  was  very  pleasant,  and  he  appreci 
ated  it,  and  he  understood  perfectly  well  that  Ethel 
was  doing  it  all.  An  awfully  good  girl,  with  a  certain 
charm  about  her,  too,  the  charm  of  straightforward 
ness,  which  wears  well.  You  knew  where  to  find 
her,  as  you  did  n't  some  people.  Occasionally  Har 
vey  wondered  what  her  real  feeling  was  in  regard 
to  her  uncle's  plans  and  wishes,  which,  as  the  wise 
reader  will  observe,  came  to  much  the  same  thing  as 
wondering  what  her  real  feeling  was  in  regard  to 
Harvey  himself. 

A  few  days  after  Thanksgiving,  Ethel  planned  a 
theatre  party,  one  of  the  little,  snug  ones,  just  for 
Milly,  Harvey,  Kent,  and  herself,  with  Aunt  Lucia  to 
matronize.  It  was  a  rather  sudden  idea.  A  new 


THE   CRACKLING   OF   THORNS     157 

play  by  a  new  writer  had  made  an  unexpected  hit, 
and  everybody  wanted  to  see  it.  The  time  was  so 
short  that  Ethel  could  not  get  seats  for  them  all  to 
gether  ;  but  she  did  the  best  she  could.  "  The  Crack 
ling  of  Thorns,"  said  Milly  reflectively.  "Sounds 
like  '  some  satire  keen  and  critical.'  '  The  laughter 
of  fools  is  like  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot.' 
They  get  no  laughter  from  me  on  that  invitation." 

Harvey  and  Ethel  sat  together,  the  other  three  in 
front  and  a  little  to  one  side.  The  play  was  half 
farce,  half  comedy  ;  and  from  the  very  first  it  seemed 
to  hit  Harvey  hard.  The  heroine  was  a  young 
woman,  fresh  from  college,  full  of  idols  and  ideals, 
determined  to  reform  the  world,  beginning  with  her 
rich,  vulgar  father  and  elder  sisters.  The  sisters  were 
earthy,  one  a  sort  of  Dresden  china,  slight,  light,  and 
frivolous,  but  piquant  withal,  the  other  solid  stone 
ware,  material,  muscular,  athletic.  When  the  general 
drift  of  the  thing  became  apparent,  Kent  and  Milly 
looked  round  with  an  expression  indicating  that 
they  expected  to  enjoy  themselves  to  the  limit. 
"Harvey,"  said  Ethel,  turning  to  her  cousin  pite- 
ously,  "  you  don't  think  this  was  intentional  on  my 
part?"  "What  nonsense,"  was  the  amused  reply. 
"  Why  should  I  care  if  it  were  ?  " 

Well,  the  earthy  sisters  leagued  themselves  with 
an  earthier  young  man  to  turn  the  young  idea  into 


158        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

ridicule.  "  Charlie,"  asks  the  Dresden  china  sister, 
"  do  you  think  the  world  needs  reforming  so  very 
much  ?  "  "  If  it  did  n't,"  Charlie  answers,  "  what  an 
awful  world  it  would  be,  especially  for  the  reform 
ers."  It  was  here  that  Kent  looked  round  to  punctu 
ate  the  situation.  Then  the  earthy  young  man  posed, 
with  despicable  ingenuity,  as  a  mystical  poet,  full  of 
ideals,  Browning,  and  large  philanthropy,  which  he 
poured  out  before  the  fair  apostle  in  very  small  verses. 
And  all  the  time  he  was  prosaically  making  love  to 
the  rich  father's  stenographer,  who  was  pretty,  and 
loved  the  young  man,  and  was  determined  to  marry 
the  rich  father. 

"  Harvey,  I  had  no  idea  what  this  was  all  about," 
repeated  Ethel  with  solemnity,  when  the  drop  fell 
after  the  first  act." 

"  Well,  and  if  you  had  had  ?  "  he  asked,  smiling. 
"Would  you  have  stayed  away?  " 

"  Perhaps.  At  any  rate,  I  should  have  told  you 
beforehand." 

"  Ethel  must  be  apologizing  now,  I  should  think," 
Milly  said  to  Kent. 

"And  Harvey  accepting  it  cheerfully,"  was  the 
ready  answer. 

"  Acceptances  will  be  the  order  between  them  soon, 
if  one  might  prophesy." 

"You  think  so?" 


THE    CRACKLING    OF   THORNS     159 

"  I  think  so."  Kent's  sharp  ear  detected  a  hint  of 
bitterness  in  his  companion's  tone.  "  I  think  so.  The 
young  man  is  extraordinarily  susceptible  to  impres 
sions,  you  know.  And  if  Ethel  had  been  born  and 
bred  a  coquette,  she  could  not  have  played  her  part 
more  artistically  than  she  has  done  for  the  last  two 
months.  Besides,  she  has  held  ten  trumps  and  all  the 
aces." 

"  But  she  was  neither  born  nor  bred  a  coquette," 
said  Kent,  with  a  certain  warmth. 

Milly  turned  and  looked  at  him,  smiling  ever  so 
little.  "  You  are  ready  to  take  her  part  ?  "  Then,  with 
a  shrug  of  her  shoulders  as  nearly  imperceptible  as 
the  smile,  she  added :  "  Every  woman  is  born  and 
bred  a  coquette.  Only  some  do  it  well,  some  don't." 

Here  the  second  act  began.  The  young  reformer 
surged  onward  in  her  troubled  course.  Among  the 
obstacles  that  beset  her  was  an  athletic  cousin  at 
Harvard,  mighty  on  the  gridiron,  who  implored  her 
to  eschew  her  impossible  ideals  and  follow  him.  But, 
for  the  moment,  she  had  the  bit  between  her  teeth, 
and  she  hurried  on.  One  of  her  chief  aims  was  to 
promote  cordial  relations  between  her  father  and  his 
employees.  In  pursuit  of  this  worthy  object,  she  suc 
ceeded  in  persuading  the  old  gentleman  to  take  back 
a  workman  who  had  been  repeatedly  discharged  for 
drunkenness,  and  then,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  triumph, 


160        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

she  secured  a  half-holiday  for  all  the  factory  hands 
and  arranged  to  give  them  a  picnic  in  the  extensive 
pleasure  grounds  of  her  father's  estate.  Just  the  sort 
of  thing,  you  see,  to  make  an  elderly  Philistine,  who 
has  traveled  odd  paths  in  search  of  fortune  and  knows 
nothing  else,  tear  his  hair  with  rage  and  disgust. 
Nevertheless,  the  enthusiastic  young  woman  had  her 
way  and  was  abetted  by  the  athletic  cousin  from  love 
and  the  earthy  sisters  from  mischief.  The  picnic  was 
to  be. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  "  asked  Harvey  jocosely,  when  the 
act  was  over.  "  I  feel  as  one  does  on  a  horse  who 
is  trying  to  get  into  a  lope  and  can't.  I  don't  know 
which  of  me  is  in  which  place.  Am  I  the  idiot  young 
woman  who  wants  things  different,  or  the  muscular 
cousin  who  does  n't  ?  And  which  are  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  I,"  answered  Ethel,  in  her  simple  way,  "  and 
I  like  things  very  well  as  they  are." 

"Yes,"  said  Harvey,  after  a  moment's  thought. 
"  That 's  true.  And  it  makes  you  very  restful.  I  don't 
think  any  one  would  wish  you  to  be  different." 

"  Yet,"  she  continued,  with  some  little  hesitation, 
"  I  sometimes  wonder  whether  you  don't  think  me 
very  stupid.  Here  are  you  all  stirred  up  over  these 
great  questions,  and  they  don't  stir  me  at  all.  I 
go  on  eating,  and  sleeping,  and  playing  golf,  and 
being  of  little  use  to  anybody,  and  I  am  wonder- 


THE   CRACKLING   OF   THORNS     161 

fully  contented.  I  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  it,  I  sup 
pose." 

"  No  ;  oh,  no,  never !  It 's  all  different  for  a  woman. 
You  have  n't  got  to  go  in  actively  and  do  business  by 
business  methods.  You  keep  house  and  live  happy 
in  the  station  to  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  call 
you.  I  wish  a  man  might  do  the  same." 

"  I  think  he  might.    I  hope  he  will." 

"  Do  you  ?  "  The  question  was  simple  ;  but  the 
hour  and  the  surroundings  and  the  air  of  that  fairy, 
theatrical  world  put  something  into  the  tone  of  it 
which  astonished  even  Harvey  himself  and  made  him 
almost  glad  to  have  the  curtain  rise  again. 

The  picnic,  oh,  the  picnic !  Everybody  came  to  it 
who  should  n't  have  come  :  the  earthy  sisters  and 
the  earthier  young  man,  and  the  athletic  cousin,  and 
the  Philistine  father,  and  the  stenographer,  and  even 
a  fantastic  reporter  who  wanted  to  keep  his  yellow 
journal  abreast  with  the  latest  thing  in  philanthropy. 
Only  the  subjects  of  the  heroine's  charity  came  not. 
They  had  fallen  by  the  way,  as  was  explained  by  the 
drunken  employee,  who  was  to  have  brought  them, 
and  who  arrived  himself  in  so  unsatisfactory  and  vo 
ciferous  a  condition  that  he  made  himself  intolerable 
even  to  his  hostess,  and  was  finally  thrown  into  the 
lake  by  the  athletic  cousin.  This  heroic  and  chival 
rous  method  of  wooing  naturally  overcame  the  young 


1 62        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

lady's  scruples ;  so  that  the  football  hero  was  at 
length  allowed  to  console  her  for  so  many  deceptions 
and  disappointments.  The  earthy  young  man  sud 
denly  inherited  a  fortune  and  married  the  steno 
grapher  ;  and  the  rich  old  Philistine  was  left  to  enjoy 
his  ill-gotten  gains  with  the  peaceful  companionship 
of  his  two  earthy  daughters,  who  no  doubt  grew 
earthier  and  earthier,  as  it  is  the  nature  of  that  sort 
of  person  to  do. 

"  A  rather  stupid  play,  I  thought  it,"  said  Ethel, 
as  they  all  sat  in  the  Touraine,  half  an  hour  later, 
over  champagne  and  oysters. 

"  And  worldly,  too,"  added  Aunt  Lucia,  "  not  a 
bit — uplifting." 

"  Perhaps  all  the  more  like  life,"  Milly  suggested 
thoughtfully,  "  which  is  stupid." 

"  And  not  uplifting,"  Kent  completed  her  sen 
tence. 

"  I  don't  think  I  like  plays  that  are  like  life," 
went  on  Aunt  Lucia,  who  seemed  unusually  conver 
sational. 

"  No,"  answered  Kent.  "  Life  is  work.  A  play 
should  be  play.  In  the  plays  the  reformers  and  the 
idealists  and  the  dreamers  should  have  it  all  their 
own  way.  Don't  you  think  so,  Harvey?" 

But  Harvey  was  listening,  not  talking,  and  Milly 
at  once  took  up  the  first  part  of  Kent's  remark.  "  My 


THE    CRACKLING   OF   THORNS     163 

life  is  work,"  she  said  ;  "  but  I  don't  think  yours  is. 
Ah,  if  you  had  to  get  mind  into  hopeless  girls  who 
have  n't  got  any  !  But  to  drift  round  all  day,  watch 
ing  the  movement  and  the  color  of  the  world  and 
then  at  night  merely  to  have  to  write  it  down  —  I 
don't  call  that  work." 

"  One  can  see  you  've  never  done  it.  Do  you  know 
what  a  horrible  thing  a  blank  sheet  of  paper  can  be  ? 
Talk  about  hopless  girls  !  You  try  sitting  down  at 
night,  when  you're  tired,  and  setting  to  work  to 
make  copy  that 's  got  to  be  forthcoming  in  the  morn 
ing,  so  many  dreary  words,  dreary  to  you,  but  they  've 
got  to  be  quick,  and  telling,  and  funny,  —  oh,  funny 
—  or  the  editor  says,  'What's  the  matter,  Kent? 
Off  your  feed  to-day  a  little  ? '  —  he 's  always  funny, 
the  editor.  As  for  such  trifles  as  the  movement  and 
the  color  of  the  world,  you  forget  what  they  're  like 
in  a  little  while.  It's  all  gray,  you  know,  and  it 
does  n't  move  at  all.  Work  is  work.  That 's  the  long 
and  short  of  it." 

Thus  the  talkers  talked  over  the  champagne  and 
oysters.  Ethel  listened,  having  nothing  on  her  mind. 
Aunt  Lucia  listened  and  yawned  slightly.  Harvey 
neither  listened  nor  yawned.  That  idiot  young 
woman  who  wanted  things  different  —  was  she  an 
idiot,  and  did  she  do  well  to  marry  the  athletic 
cousin  ?  As  he  thought  of  this,  he  looked  at  Ethel, 


1 64        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

whose  eye  had  just  the  touch  of  animation  which  it 
needed  and  sometimes  lacked.  When  at  last  they 
started  for  home,  Harvey  spread  the  great,  soft  opera 
cloak  over  his  cousin's  shoulders  with  a  peculiar  ten 
derness. 


CHAPTER   XV 

MRS.   O'BRIEN 

ABOUT  the  middle  of  December  Marcus  came  to 
town  for  a  day  and  went  to  see  Harvey.  At  the  first 
moment  of  their  interview  every  trace  of  coolness  or 
separation,  which  might  have  been  left  by  their  sum 
mer's  experiences,  vanished.  Marcus  again  felt  the 
charm  of  the  frank  simplicity  which  had  always  drawn 
him  to  Harvey,  and  showed  in  his  own  manner  the 
sweet  persuasiveness  which  tempered  his  austerities 
and  made  his  friends  forget  them. 

"It's  good  to  see  you,"  said  Harvey,  holding  the 
slight  hand  long  in  his  and  feeling  something  in  that 
touch  that  neither  golf  nor  automobiles  could  give. 

"  And  you,"  was  the  quiet  answer.  To  read  its  full 
meaning  you  had  to  look  deep,  as  Harvey  did,  into 
the  pure  blue  eyes. 

The  two  went  out  to  lunch  together  and  talked  at 
length,  without  reserve,  of  Robertsville,  and  what  had 
happened  there. 

"  Everything  went  as  we  ought  to  have  expected," 
said  Marcus.  "  You  are  too  big  to  be  contented  with 


1 66        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

a  little  life  in  a  little  place  like  that.  You  will  find 
your  way." 

Harvey  shook  his  head,  with  a  slight  shadow  in 
his  eyes.  "  The  biggest  lives  go  on  in  little  places 
sometimes,  I  think,"  he  answered.  Then,  putting 
aside  gently  Marcus's  further  inquiries  about  pre 
sent  matters,  he  went  on  to  discuss  the  young  min 
ister's  own  future,  and  was  interested  to  learn  that 
there  was  a  prospect  of  his  soon  being  settled  at 
a  little  church  in  Glendale,  only  a  few  miles  from 
Boston. 

"Yes,"  said  Marcus,  "I  hope  to  come  there  in  the 
spring  —  say  March  ;  and  we  shall  surely  see  each 
other  often." 

"I  hope  so,"  was  Harvey's  vague  answer. 

But  Marcus  was  determined  to  dissipate  the  vague 
ness.  "What  does  it  all  mean,  Harvey?"  he  asked 
"  It  is  n't  like  you  to  conceal  things.  Are  you  en 
gaged  to  that  young  woman  ?  I  forget  her  name." 

"  No,"  said  Harvey.    "  I  'm  engaged  to  no  one." 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  Where  are  you  going  ?  " 

"I'm  doing  nothing.  And  I  don't  know  where 
I  'm  going ;  where  I  drift,  I  suppose.  I  'm  waiting. 
And  meantime  I  take  the  pleasant  things  that  come 
in  my  way." 

Marcus  looked  grave  and  for  a  moment  said  no 
thing.  Then  his  face  lighted  with  the  wonderful 


MRS.  O'BRIEN  167 

sweetness  that  could  come  to  it.  "  I  have  always 
trusted  you,"  he  said.  "  I  trust  you." 

They  talked  no  more  on  that  topic,  and  confined 
themselves  to  Robertsville  and  other  reminiscences. 
Just  before  they  separated,  Harvey  asked,  with  some 
hesitation,  "  That  O'Brien  girl,  what  became  of  her?  " 

Marcus  answered,  with  more  hesitation  still : "  I 
didn't  mean  to  tell  you ;  for  you  were  certainly  not 
to  blame.  But  she  broke  down  soon  after  you  left  — 
a  bad  cough.  She  failed  very  fast.  A  few  weeks  ago 
she  came  back  to  her  mother's,  here  in  town.  I  went 
to  see  her  this  morning.  They  're  poor,  and  there 's 
no  hope  for  the  girl,  I  'm  afraid.  The  mother 's  a  fool 
ish  woman  and  very  bitter.  It 's  a  hard  case." 

Harvey  made  no  comment  further  than  to  ask  for 
the  O'Briens'  address. 

Marcus  gave  it  to  him.  "  But  I  would  n't  go 
there,"  he  said.  "You  would  only  get  into  more 
trouble." 

"  Yet  you  trust  me,"  observed  Harvey,  with  a  wan 
smile. 

"  Certainly  I  trust  you.  But  this  is  hardly  a  case 
for  your  handling,  all  things  considered.  And  the 
Associated  Charities  are  looking  after  it." 

There  the  subject  dropped  and  the  two  parted  ; 
but  there  was  an  unspoken  tenderness  about  their 
parting  deeply  felt  by  both  of  them.  "  We  shall  see 


168        BETWEEN  TWO   MASTERS 

more  of  each  other  and  be  more  to  each  other  by- 
and-by,"  said  Marcus  ;  and  the  warmth  of  Harvey's 
handclasp  showed  that  at  any  rate  he  hoped  so. 

That  afternoon  Harvey  called  at  Ethel's. 

"  I  want  to  ask  a  favor  of  you,"  he  said. 

Then  he  told  her  the  history  of  the  O'Brien  family, 
not,  of  course,  blaming  his  uncle,  but  simply  stating 
the  facts,  including  his  own  misfortunes  during  the 
summer  and  the  unhappy  condition  of  things  at 
present. 

Ethel  listened  quietly.  "  It  seems  a  hard  case,"  she 
answered,  when  he  had  finished,  "  though  I  suppose 
those  things  are  always  happening." 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  they  are.  And  we  play  golf  and 
ride  in  our  automobiles  in  spite  of  them." 

But  Ethel  was  not  easily  irritated,  and  took  this 
remark  as  Harvey  meant  it.  "  We  do.  And  I  don't 
know  that  we  are  wrong  to.  Why  should  all  be 
wretched  because  some  are?  But  what  favor  can  I 
do  you  ?  " 

Harvey  hesitated  a  moment,  "  I  thought,"  he  be 
gan  at  length,  "  that  perhaps  you  would  be  willing 
to  go  with  me  to  see  these  people." 

"  Certainly,"  answered  Ethel  at  once.  "  But  what 
can  we  do  ?  Give  them  money  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so  —  if  they  '11  take  it.  We  '11  see  what  we 
can  do,  when  we  get  there." 


MRS.  O'BRIEN  169 

"  By  all  means.  Only  I  must  tell  you  that  I  'm  not 
good  at  that  sort  of  thing.  I  blunder.  But  I  'm  glad 
to  try.  And,  Harvey,  I  hope  you  won't  think  I  'm 
wholly  selfish."  As  she  said  this,  she  leaned  towards 
her  cousin  with  a  gentle  earnestness  that  was  won 
derfully  sweet ;  and  there  were  tears  in  her  eyes,  or 
something  near  it.  "I  so  often  feel  that  the  world  is 
all  wrong  —  all  wrong.  But  I  have  n't  the  very  least 
faculty  for  making  it  right.  I  can't  even  get  unhappy 
over  it.  When  I  get  up  in  the  morning,  the  sky  looks 
so  blue,  and  breakfast  tastes  so  good  —  and  life  keeps 
on  tasting  good  all  day." 

"  I  know,"  Harvey  answered.    He  did  know. 

The  next  morning  the  two  started  out  together  on 
their  benevolent  errand. 

"  We  seem  to  me  like  two  big  children,  with  good 
intentions  —  and  very  little  more,"  remarked  Ethel. 

"  Yes,"  Harvey  agreed.  "  '  Butting  in,'  as  George 
would  say.  But  something  must  be  done  —  and  who 
else  is  to  do  it?" 

"  I  suppose  papa  would  gladly  send  a  check?" 

"  No,"  was  the  decided  response.  "  That  would  n't 
do  at  all." 

"I  dare  say  not,"  echoed  the  timid  cousin,  who  felt 
distinctly  out  of  her  element.  Not  that  she  had  never 
done  a  kind  thing  before,  nor  visited  persons  in  dis 
tress.  She  was  a  woman,  and  a  gentle  one,  and 


170        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

many,  many  dollars  went  from  her  pocket-book 
every  year  in  ways  which  not  even  those  nearest  her 
suspected.  But  this  sort  of  militant  charity  was 
strange  to  her.  To  be  traversing  the  streets  with 
Harvey,  for  such  a  purpose,  as  if  they  were  going  to 
a  football  game,  was  a  novelty.  And  to  persons  of 
an  unadaptable  constitution  novelties  are  either  ridic 
ulous  or  painful.  This  was  a  little  of  both. 

The  address  which  Marcus  had  given  Harvey  was 
that  of  a  house  on  Hudson  Street,  in  a  region  in 
habited  mostly  by  foreigners.  As  the  two  stately 
young  athletes  passed  by,  many  a  tousled  black 
head,  with  beady  eyes,  peered  at  them  curiously ; 
and  one  youngster,  playing  on  an  ash  heap,  re 
marked,  in  confidence,  to  another,  "  Gee,  Ikey,  ain't 
that  fierce  ?  "  But  the  athletes  were  unconscious  and 
wholly  absorbed  in  their  unwonted  task  of  glory 
and  of  good. 

When  they  reached  their  destination,  they  mounted 
the  unrailed  steps  and  rang  the  rackety  bell.  It  took 
several  rings  to  call  forth  any  response ;  but  at  last 
the  door  was  opened  by  a  stout,  middle-aged  Irish 
lady  —  not  clean. 

"  Is  it  Maggie  O' Brine,  ye  want  ?  Sure,  she  's  here. 
And  won't  niver  be  anywhere  else,  poor  girl,  till  it 's 
the  cimitry,  I'm  thinkin'.  Three  flights  —  the  first 
door  ye  come  to." 


MRS.  O'BRIEN  171 

Harvey  led  the  way  up  the  ancient  staircase,  which 
groaned  under  his  weight  and  his  companion's.  The 
house  had  served  sleek,  well-to-do  citizens,  in  former 
times,  when  such  inhabited  that  region ;  and  near 
the  top  of  the  stairs  a  shapely  niche,  cut  in  the  wall, 
hinted  at  decoration  of  the  sculptural  order ;  but  the 
niche  was  empty  now  of  all  but  melancholy  sugges 
tions  of  the  past.  The  floor  was  dirty  and  unkempt ; 
so  were  the  walls.  Ethel  lifted  her  skirts  rather  higher 
than  usual  and  trod  gingerly. 

The  second  staircase  was  like  the  first,  except  for 
the  niche,  and  the  third  was  like  the  second.  When 
they  reached  the  top  of  everything,  they  stood  for 
a  moment  in  the  narrow,  dingy  hallway,  facing  a 
closed  door,  from  behind  which  came  the  voice  of 
some  one  reading. 

"Well?"  said  Harvey,  softly,  looking  at  Ethel. 

"Well?"  answered  Ethel,  as  softly,  looking  at 
Harvey. 

"  You  knock,"  Harvey  suggested. 

After  a  moment's  further  hesitation,  Ethel  gave  a 
knock  so  timid  that  it  would  hardly  have  disturbed 
the  repose  of  a  ball  on  the  smoothest  of  putting- 
greens.  There  were  keen  ears  inside,  however.  The 
reading  stopped,  and  instantly  after  the  door  opened. 

In  the  opening  appeared  a  young  lady,  who  seemed 
rather  insignificant,  at  the  first  glance.  She  was  short, 


172        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

slight,  dark-haired,  pale,  very  pale,  and  dressed  in 
a  plain,  dark,  wool  gown.  When  you  looked  at  her 
a  little  longer,  however,  you  felt  the  fire  in  her  eyes, 
even  in  that  doubtful  light,  and  you  began  to  feel 
that  there  was  fire  in  her  figure,  also. 

For  a  second  the  three  gazed  at  each  other.  Then 
Ethel  spoke,  with  some  uncertainty :  "  Miss  Newton, 
I  think." 

The  young  lady's  features  assumed  that  expression 
which  says  so  plainly,  "  I  am  distressed  to  find  that 
you  have  the  advantage  of  me."  Then  they  cleared, 
perhaps  not  quite  enthusiastically.  "Miss  Harper, 
is  n't  it  ?  This  light  —  and  then  "  — 

"  You  did  n't  quite  expect  to  see  me  here,"  said 
Ethel,  trying  to  be  easily  facetious.  "Nor did  I  you. 
This  is  my  cousin,  Mr.  Phelps,  Miss  Newton." 

Miss  Newton  simply  bowed,  but  expressed  no 
pleasure  in  making  Mr.  Phelps' s  acquaintance.  In 
deed,  from  her  countenance  you  might  almost  have 
supposed  that  her  feeling  was  the  other  way. 

Ethel,  having  paused  a  moment  for  some  remark, 
felt  that  it  was  her  part  to  continue  the  conversa 
tion.  "  We  were  told  that  a  —  young  person,  named 
O'Brien,  lived  here." 

"A  young  person,  named  O'Brien,  does  live  here 
with  her  mother." 

There  was  nothing  in  this  to  invite  confidence,  and 


MRS.  O'BRIEN  173 

Ethel  felt  much  disposed  to  leave  Harvey  to  attend 
to  the  rest  of  his  errand  himself,  but  he  made  no 
move,  and  she  was  almost  forced  to  go  on.  "  You 
see,  we  heard  that  she,  Miss  O'Brien,  was  quite  ill  — 
and  my  cousin  —  that  is,  I  —  in  short,  is  n't  there 
something  we  can  do  to  make  her  more  comfort 
able?" 

Miss  Newton  grasped  the  situation  now,  and  it 
was  with  a  trifle  more  gentleness  in  her  tone  that  she 
answered,  "Well,  no,  I  hardly  think  there  is.  Of 
course,  it 's  very  kind  of  you  to  take  so  much  trouble, 
and  of  —  Mr.  Phelps.  But  —  well,  there  have  been 
things  in  the  past  —  to  tell  the  truth,  I  don't  believe 
Mrs.  O'Brien  would  wish  to  take  anything  from  a 
person  of  that  name.  You  see  "  — 

But  here  the  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the 
appearance  of  Mrs.  O'Brien  herself,  who  had  been 
listening  until  she  could  listen  no  longer.  She  was 
a  slight,  oldish  woman,  of  a  much  higher  order  than 
the  landlady  of  the  house  and  with  a  certain  air  of 
intelligence  about  her ;  but  she  seemed  utterly  poor, 
wretched,  and  discouraged,  and  there  was  a  shifty 
look  in  her  eyes,  which  at  this  moment  were  full  of 
wrath.  She  pushed  herself  into  the  doorway,  beside 
Miss  Newton,  and  burst  out :  "  Take  anything  from 
a  Phelps  ?  Not  if  it  was  to  save  Maggie  from  dying 
in  the  poorhouse.  He 's  a  robber,  that  man  is.  I  will 


174        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

speak" — this  to  Miss  Newton,  who  was  trying  to 
quiet  her  —  "  a  thief  and  a  robber.  Look  where  he 's 
put  my  poor  husband.  And  he  himself  getting  fat  on 
his  boodle  and  going  on  to  rob  and  rob.  He  ought 
to  be  in  jail.  That's  where  he  ought  to  be.  And  I 
hope  to  live  to  see  him  there.  And  you"  — turning 
to  Harvey — "who  says  you're  any  better  than  he 
is  ?  If  it  was  n't  for  you,  my  poor  girl  might  be  well 
and  happy  now.  Ain't  you  ashamed  "  — 

But  here  she  was  interrupted  by  a  scream  from 
within  the  room  :  "  Mother  1  Mother !  You  stop  it ! 
Keep  still.  Come  here  !  " 

The  cry  was  so  imperious  that  it  drew  even  Mrs. 
O'Brien's  attention  and  gave  Miss  Newton  a  chance 
to  whisper  to  Ethel:  "You'd  better  go.  The  poor 
woman  is  n't  quite  right." 

But  Mrs.  O'Brien  overheard,  and  she  screamed  out 
again,  as  the  dazed  visitors  made  their  way  down 
stairs  ;  would  have  followed  them,  if  Miss  Newton 
had  not  prevented  her.  "If  I 'm  not  all  right,  who 
made  me  so  ?  It  was  that  father  of  yours.  He 's  a 
robber  and  a  thief.  And  I  believe  he  sent  you  here 
to  buy  me  off.  But  he  can't.  I  '11  see  him  in  jail  be 
fore  I  die.  A  rich  man  like  that,  with  all  his  millions, 
to  hunt  a  poor  workman  to  death  "  — 

She  was  still  talking  when  they  made  their  way 
out  of  the  front  door,  where  a  number  of  other  lodgers 


MRS.  O'BRIEN  175 

had  congregated  at  the  cheerful  sound  of  a  row.  The 
two  cousins  walked  rapidly  through  Hudson  Street, 
into  a  more  civilized  portion  of  the  world,  before  a 
word  was  spoken  between  them. 

"  Ethel,"  said  Harvey  at  last,  "  I  m  very  sorry  I 
exposed  you  to  anything  like  this.  Who  was  that 
young  woman  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Ethel,  her  cheeks  still  flushed 
with  indignation  at  the  words  she  had  heard  about 
her  father.  "  I  met  her  somewhere  once ;  she  runs 
the  College  Settlement  and  things  of  that  sort,  I  be 
lieve.  But,  Harvey,  in  future,  I  think  I  '11  let  the  poor 
alone." 


CHAPTER   XVI 

HARVEY  EXPLAINS 

"  EVER  know  a  girl  named  Newton  ?  "  asked  Harvey 
of  Kent,  as  they  were  dining  together  that  evening. 

"Three,"  Kent  answered,  trying  the  cauliflower, 
and  showing  no  disposition  to  try  it  again. 

"  That 's  too  many,"  was  Harvey's  dissatisfied 
comment. 

"  They  're  all  my  cousins.  But  probably  you  mean 
Diana.  She's  the  oldest  —  philanthropy,  charity, 
college  settlements,  etc." 

"  What  does  she  look  like  ?  You  ?  " 

"Well,  you  wouldn't  mistake  us  for  each  other  — 
on  a  bright  day.  Shortish,  palish,  brownish,  quietish 
to  look  at,  but  —  oh,  my!" 

Harvey  nodded.  "  That 's  the  one.  How  did  she 
come  to  be  your  cousin  ?  " 

"  How  did  there  come  to  be  kerosene  in  this  mut 
ton  gravy  ?  I  never  knew  your  equal  for  questioning 
the  arrangements  of  the  universe.  But  if  you  agree 
with  me,  we  '11  change  our  hash-house  before  long." 

Then,  for  the  moment,  they  both  devoted  them- 


HARVEY    EXPLAINS  177 

selves  to  making  a  dinner,  an  operation  which  really 
did  require  some  thought.  Finally  Kent  seemed 
ready  to  continue  the  subject.  "  Where  did  you  run 
across  Diana  Newton  ?  "  he  asked. 

Harvey  had  no  special  desire  to  explain  the  circum 
stances  under  which  he  had  met  the  young  lady. 
Nevertheless,  he  explained  them ;  and  Kent  enjoyed 
the  explanation. 

"  Don  Quixote  ! "  he  gasped,  when  he  had  finished 
such  laughter  as  the  public  place  permitted.  "  Don 
Quixote  !  But  your  cousin  should  n't  be  allowed  to 
play  Sancho  to  you.  That  won't  do." 

"  Never  mind  my  cousin,"  Harvey  answered,  tak 
ing  his  companion's  amusement  as  serenely  as  usual. 
"Never  mind  my  cousin.  Tell  me  about  yours." 

The  dessert  had  come  now,  and  Kent  seemed  to 
find  it  more  tolerable  than  the  previous  course. 
"  About  my  cousin.  Oh,  certainly,"  he  said.  "  She 's 
a  nice  girl.  I  go  to  see  her  once  or  twice  a  year. 
But  she 's  only  my  second  cousin  and  she  disapproves 
of  me.  Her  father 's  well-to-do,  a  doctor,  lives  in  the 
next  town  to  us  at  home.  She 's  been  to  Wellesley 
and  learned  how  to  improve  the  world.  It 's  a  disas 
trous  acquisition.  Now  she  lives  with  her  aunt  — 
Miss  Whitcomb,  on  Newbury  Street.  The  aunt  is  in 
the  philanthropic  line,  too,  but  different,  Unitarian, 
old  abolitionist,  etc.,  etc.  Diana's  an  Episcopalian 


178        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

—  mild.  She  lived  in  the  Settlement  last  year ;  but 
that  was  too  much  for  her,  broke  her  down.  All  this 
interests  you,  probably." 

u  It  does.    I  'm  going  to  call  on  Miss  Newton." 

"  Thunder  !  No  ! "  answered  Kent.  And  as  he 
lighted  his  cigar  and  led  the  way  out  into  the  street, 
innumerable  undesirable  possibilities  began  to  sug 
gest  themselves. 

"  I  would  n't  call  on  her,  if  I  were  you."  He 
grasped  Harvey's  arm  and  spoke  in  a  very  confi 
dential  fashion. 

"  Would  n't  you?  Why  not  ?  "  But  Harvey's  voice 
did  not  indicate  much  interest  in  his  friend's  reasons 
or  much  inclination  to  yield  to  them. 

"  Well,  for  one  thing,  I  don't  think  she  'd  want  to 
see  you." 

"  I  should  take  the  chance  of  that,  you  know.  I 
need  n't  go  again." 

"What  the  devil  do  you  want  to  call  on  her 
for?" 

"  Why  the  devil  do  you  object  to  my  calling  on 
her?" 

Kent  laughed  good-naturedly.  "  Answer  my  ques 
tion  first ;  then  I  '11  answer  yours." 

"  I  want  to  call  on  her  —  and  explain." 

Kent  laughed  a  great  deal  more,  so  that  a  street 
boy  stopped  and  remarked  to  him :  "  Say,  Mister, 


HARVEY   EXPLAINS  179 

you  must  ha'  been  readin'  one  of  George  Kent's 
'  Snap-Shots,'  "  which  made  Kent  laugh  louder  still. 
"  That 's  glory,  Harvey,"  he  said.  "  Excuse  my  laugh 
ing  at  the  idea  of  your  explaining.  It 's  impossible. 
What  you  really  want  is  to  get  acquainted  with  this 
girl.  There 's  something  piquant  about  her,  I  admit, 
—  something  different.  It 's  in  her  eyes,  Harvey,  — 
her  eyes.  Set  in  that  pale,  thin,  cold,  conventual  face, 
they  literally  burn.  It 's  those  eyes  that  give  you  this 
vague,  perfectly  pointless,  and  illogical  desire  to  ex 
plain.  If  it  had  been  the  aunt,  Miss  Whitcomb,  you 
know,  you  never  would  have  thought  of  explaining 
anything  at  all." 

"  Well,"  rejoined  Harvey,  still  serene.  "  Now  why 
do  you  want  to  interfere  with  me?" 

Kent  walked  on  a  few  steps,  absorbed  in  thought. 
"  If  you  were  some  men,"  he  said  at  last,  "  I  should 
laugh  it  off  and  say  no  more  about  it,  hoping  you 
would  let  the  matter  slip  and  forget  and  there  would 
be  an  end.  But,  confound  it,  you  never '11  forget, 
nor  let  the  matter  slip  ;  and  there  '11  never  be  an  end, 
till  you  've  tried  what  you  call  '  explaining,'  Heaven 
help  us  !  On  the  other  hand,  if  I  tell  you  what  I 
think,  your  natural  perversity  will  simply  be  stirred 
up  all  the  more.  Well,  here  goes  for  the  warning  of 
a  sensible  man  —  to  an  insensible  one."  He  took  a 
long  pull  at  his  cigar.  "  Let  that  girl  alone,  Harvey. 


i8o       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

She  '11  never  do  you  any  good.  You  're  just  get 
ting  into  the  right  road  now,  —  getting  the  non 
sense  shaken  out  of  you.  Things  are  beginning  to 
go  smoothly.  Your  cousin  —  well,  your  cousin  is 
worth  fifty  of  Diana  Newton.  If  you  go  after  Diana 
—  'explaining/  —  oh,  Lord,  I  hear  it  now!  —  those 
eyes  will  burn  you,  Harvey,  and  she  won't  care  for 
you  any  more  than  for  touchwood  and  punk.  There 's 
just  one  thing  that  kind  of  woman  cares  for  —  and 
that  is  herself.  She  calls  it  ideals,  charity,  philan 
thropy,  —  heaven  knows  what  all  besides.  Whatever 
it  is,  it  leaves  no  room  for  the  tender  emotions  that 
you  look  for  in  the  sex.  Now  go  *  explain,'  and 
scorch  yourself ;  but  don't  say  I  did  n't  warn  you 
beforehand." 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  Harvey.  "  I  won't" 
The  subject  was  not  again  mentioned  between 
them,  and  for  some  days  Harvey  made  no  move 
toward  carrying  out  his  project.  This  did  not  de 
ceive  Kent,  however,  who  knew  that  it  was  equally 
characteristic  of  his  friend  to  delay  the  execution  of 
his  plans  and  never  to  give  them  up.  In  fact,  the 
whole  thing  weighed  so  seriously  upon  the  young 
journalist's  mind  that  he  finally  took  the  extreme 
step  of  calling  himself  on  his  philanthropic  cousin 
with  the  object  of  suggesting  to  her  that  the  great 
est  kindness  she  could  do  Harvey's  friends  would  be 


HARVEY   EXPLAINS  181 

to  snub  him  as  effectively  as  possible.  "  She 's  just 
such  another  mule  as  he,"  he  thought.  "  If  I  really 
want  her  to  snub  him,  I  might  as  well  beg  her  to 
fall  in  love  with  him  at  once.  But  still "  — 

"Why  should  he  call  on  me?"  asked  Miss  New 
ton,  when  such  a  thing  was  suggested. 

"Why  shouldn't  he?  I  think  he  was  charmed 
with  you.  He 's  easily  charmed,  if  you  '11  excuse  the 
apparent  rudeness  of  the  remark." 

Something  about  the  remark  —  probably  not  its 
rudeness  —  seemed  to  annoy  the  young  lady  ex 
tremely.  "George,  why  will  you  come  to  me  with 
such  talk  as  that  ?  Do  you  suppose  that  I  have  time 
or  inclination  to  be  trifling  with  idle  boys?  If  he 
wants  to  be  charmed,  let  him  go  to  those  who  want 
to  be  charming." 

"  Ah,  but,  my  fair  cousin,  it  is  n't  always  those  who 
want  to  be  charming  that  are.  In  fact  it 's  very  sel 
dom.  Whether  you  want  to  be  or  not,  you  can't 
help  it.  I  admit  you  're  not  my  kind.  I  prefer  some 
thing  much  more  worldly  —  not  the  charm  of  the 
lunar  rainbow.  Though  I  've  always  imagined  that 
there  was  a  volcano  under  your  ice-fields  some 
where." 

"  George ! " 

The  impatient  petulance  of  her  tone  delighted  her 
cousin.  "  I  thought  so,"  he  went  on.  "  But,  you  see, 


1 82        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

you  're  just  this  man's  kind.  He  wants  to  be  charmed 
and  elevated  at  the  same  time.  Perhaps  you  don't 
know  his  history.  His  uncle  —  Phelps  &  Legge.  — 
is  several  times  a  millionaire,  has  no  children  but  a 
stepdaughter,  and  wants  Harvey  to  go  in  and  take 
the  business,  and  the  millions,  and  the  stepdaughter. 
Now  all  I  ask  of  you  is  not  to  spoil  this  pretty  pro 
gramme." 

"  I  spoil  it?  "  asked  Diana,  with  an  expression  be 
tween  wonder  and  disgust. 

"  You  see,  Harvey  is  disposed  to  refuse  the  daugh 
ter  and  the  millions.  He  has  kinks  in  his  head,  to 
the  effect  that  business  is  not  an  ennobling  occupa 
tion,  and  that  his  uncle's  money  has  been  acquired 
by  methods  not  strictly  consistent  with  what  he  calls 
Christian  ideals.  Possibly  you  understand.  I  don't. 
Well,  he  tried  butting  into  the  philanthropic  line  and 
made  a  complete  failure  of  it ;  and  now,  for  the  last 
three  months,  he  has  been  slowly  —  he  moves  slowly 
—  coming  round  to  a  sensible  view  of  things,  when, 
behold,  he  wanders  down  a  back  alley  and  runs 
into  you.  Now,  if  you  don't  want  to  break  a  num 
ber  of  hearts  and  spoil  a  useful  career,  will  you  send 
him  about  his  business  ?  " 

Diana's  expression  had  altered  a  good  deal  in  the 
course  of  her  cousin's  narrative.  "This  is  a  strange 
story,"  she  said 


HARVEY   EXPLAINS  183 

"It  is  a  strange  story,  but  it 's  true.  I  know  you 
would  naturally  sympathize  with  Harvey's  ideas. 
But  think  what  it  means,  Diana.  His  uncle  is  deter 
mined  to  keep  all  his  money  in  his  business,  and 
will  leave  nothing  away  from  it.  Harvey  has  a  small 
income  of  his  own,  but  he  's  no  more  fitted  to  be  a 
philanthropist  than  I  am  ! " 

"  Really  ?  "  asked  Diana,  with  a  little  curl  of  her 
lip.  She  could  be  sarcastic,  if  she  thought  it  neces 
sary. 

"  Really.  Mr.  Phelps's  health  is  broken,  too.  This 
matter  has  affected  him  to  such  an  extent  as  to  give 
his  illness  a  very  serious  turn.  If  Harvey  does  n't 
yield,  it  will  make  his  uncle's  last  days  miserable. 
And  the  young  lady  is  a  noble,  handsome  girl." 

"Does  she  want  to  marry  the  young  man?  " 

Kent  hesitated  a  moment.  "  She 's  ready  to,  I 
think,"  he  said. 

Diana's  eyes  and  ears  were  keen,  and  something 
in  her  cousin's  tone  made  her  say,  "  Ready  to  marry 
him.  It  seems  to  me  the  golden  calf  is  looking  for  a 
pretty  general  sacrifice  in  this  affair." 

Kent  was  annoyed  for  a  second.  Then  he  laughed. 
"  It  is  just  as  I  expected,"  he  said.  "  Like  all  good 
people,  you  regard  it  as  your  first  duty  to  upset  the 
arrangements  of  everybody  else." 

Diana  looked  at  him  with  a  certain  grave  reproach 


1 84       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

in  her  deep  eyes.  "  You  're  rather  hard  on  me, 
George.  I  'm  afraid  I  'm  not  so  good  but  what  you 
can  afford  to  associate  with  me  a  little  longer.  As 
for  this  young  Mr.  Phelps,  I  really  don't  see  why  he 
should  call  on  me,  and  I  don't  think  he  will." 

"  Oh,  yes,  he  will,"  Kent  interrupted.  "  If  there  is 
anything  foolish  he  can  do,  he  never  omits  it." 

"  Very  well,  if  he  should  "  — 

"  If  he  should  "  — 

"  I  shall  be  rather  curious  to  hear  what  he  has  to 
say  for  himself."  By  which  it  will  be  seen  that  though 
Diana  was  a  saint  by  profession,  she  was  also  a 
woman,  and  even  not  so  remotely  removed  from  the 
blood  of  the  Kents. 

A  few  days  later,  on  a  dull,  wet  afternoon,  Harvey 
made  his  call  and  found  Diana  at  home.  She  was 
dressed  in  a  simple,  dark  blue,  wool  gown,  her  brown 
hair  coiled  low  at  the  back  of  her  head  ;  and  the  first 
impression  of  insignificance  was  stronger  than  ever, 
now  that  she  was  a  little  on  her  guard,  a  little  cold. 
She  shook  hands  quietly  with  Harvey  and  they  seated 
themselves,  before  he  offered  any  explanation  of  his 
visit.  The  room  was  lighted  from  the  chandelier ; 
but  it  was  a  large,  high,  old-fashioned,  darkly  draped 
room,  full  of  dim  corners. 

"  I  wanted  to  explain,  Miss  Newton,"  Harvey  be 
gan.  Then  Kent's  ludicrous  harping  on  the  word 


HARVEY   EXPLAINS  185 

came  back  and  made  it  seem  hopelessly  unsuitable. 
That  is,  you  must  have  wondered  what  I  was  doing 
at  the  O'Briens's  the  other  day." 

"  I  did,  rather."  The  words  were  cold,  but  the  tone 
was  not  unkind. 

"  Well  —  you  see  —  I  felt  —  in  short "  — 

She  would  have  been  glad  to  help  him,  but  she  did 
not  see  how  she  could. 

Then  he  suddenly  changed  his  method  of  attack. 
"George  Kent  is  your  cousin,  I  believe?" 

"  Yes,"  she  said. 

"  And  he  came  to  see  you  the  other  day  and  told 
you  about  me?" 

She  nodded. 

"  Of  course  he  made  fun  of  me." 

Diana  smiled.  "Ah,  no  one  minds  that.  It's 
George's  business." 

"  I  don't  mind  his  fun.  But  I  don't  want  you  to 
think  I  'm  a  fool." 

"  I  don't.    Nor  does  George." 

Again  there  was  a  difficulty  ;  but  Harvey  broke  the 
silence  at  last.  "  I  can't  seem  to  say  what  I  want 
to  about  the  O'Briens,  without  speaking  against  my 
uncle.  That  is  —  do  they  think  I  was  to  blame  for 
anything  that  happened  last  summer?" 

Diana  was  less  pale  than  usual,  as  she  replied  :  "  I 
don't  know  much  about  the  facts.  Mrs.  O'Brien 


1 86        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

seemed  to  be  angry  with  you  as  well  as  with  your 
uncle.  But  she  is  unreasonable." 

Harvey  leaned  forward,  with  intense  earnestness 
in  his  dark  eyes,  as  he  said,  "  I  don't  think  I  was  to 
blame,  Miss  Newton.  I  heard  the  girl's  story  and 
inquired  about  her,  and  was  sorry  for  her.  The  rest 
was  all  unfortunate  accidents.  I  hope  you  believe 
me.  Otherwise  our  acquaintance  might  as  well  end 
here." 

For  a  moment  something  in  Diana's  expression,  a 
little  hardening  about  the  mouth,  seemed  to  say,  "  I 
have  n't  sought  the  acquaintance.  Let  it  end."  Then, 
as  she  watched  Harvey's  face,  the  hardness  relaxed. 
"  I  believe  you,"  she  answered. 

Harvey  settled  back  in  his  chair  and  murmured, 
"Thank  you.  About  the  rest  of  it,"  he  went  on,  "I 
don't  think  my  uncle  meant  to  be  cruel." 

Diana's  mouth  grew  hard  again.  "  I  don't  think 
it  makes  very  much  difference  what  he  meant,"  she 
said. 

"  No,  I  suppose  not.  But  if  you  knew  him.  The 
idea  of  his  being  cruel !  " 

"  I  dare  say  he  is  n't  what  we  call  cruel."  She  was 
wide  awake  now,  and  nobody  could  have  thought 
her  insignificant.  "  He  may  be  a  courteous,  chival 
rous  gentleman,  in  matters  that  don't  affect  his  busi- 


HARVEY   EXPLAINS  187 

"  He  is,"  Harvey  interrupted. 

"I  think  it  very  likely.  That  only  makes  it 
worse  that  we  should  live  under  a  system  which 
turns  courteous,  chivalrous  gentlemen  into  robbers 
and  murderers.  I  don't  apologize,  Mr.  Phelps.  You 
need  n't  have  come,  you  know." 

"  No,  I  need  n't  have  come.    But  I  'm  glad  I  came." 

"  I  've  no  fault  to  find  with  your  uncle  personally. 
I  dare  say  I  should  like  him.  I  dare  say  it  would  pain 
him  to  see  people  suffer,  as  much  as  it  pains  you  or 
me.  But  he  does  n't  see  it.  He  lives  in  the  heart  of 
the  machine,  and  the  din  of  the  wheels  deafens  him, 
so  that  he  never  hears  the  groans  of  those  who  are 
caught  and  ground  to  pieces." 

Harvey  listened  and  wondered.  Ethel's  pleasant 
frivolities  and  Milly's  cynicism  seemed  vague  and  far 
away.  "  But  can  things  be  made  any  different  ?  "  he 
asked,  not  so  much  doubting  as  anxious  to  hear  what 
her  ideas  were. 

Diana  clasped  her  hands  and  looked  straight  at 
him,  in  earnest,  passionate  appeal.  "  They  can,  if  we 
believe  they  can,"  she  said.  "  Not  you,  nor  I.  We 
can't  make  the  world  over  alone.  Nor  even  all  the 
little  army  of  workers  who  are  giving  their  lives  to  it. 
But  we  can  all  do  something,  all  use  our  own  belief 
to  make  others  believe.  It  is  discouraging,  some 
times,  to  see  the  mass  of  evil,  willful  evil  in  the  world. 


1 88        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

Yet  when  you  see  how  it  yields  to  a  little  effort  — 
see  what  a  little  love  will  do  —  and  we  can  try,  Mr. 
Phelps,  we  can  try  never  give  up  trying.  If  there 
were  no  hope,  instead  of  every  hope,  those  of  us 
who  love  the  kingdom  of  light  would  toil  for  it  and 
battle  for  it  till  we  die." 

Every  nerve  in  her  seemed  to  thrill  as  she  spoke, 
and  every  nerve  in  him.  Then  her  voice  sank  away 
in  the  quiet  of  the  dim  parlor,  and  nothing  was  heard 
but  the  ticking  of  the  clock  and  the  sound  of  a  horse's 
hoofs  in  the  street. 

Harvey  felt  that  he  ought  to  go  ;  but  he  could  n't 
and  would  n't.  "  I  suppose  George  told  you  some 
thing  of  my  circumstances  ?"  he  said. 

Diana  nodded.  She  was  reserved  again,  when  the 
personal  element  came  up. 

"  It  is  a  peculiar  position,  is  n't  it  ?  "  he  went  on. 

"Very  peculiar." 

But  he  was  determined  to  force  her  to  discuss  it 
with  him.  And  in  the  end  she  did.  The  quiet,  sim 
ple,  absolutely  unaffected  way  in  which  he  put  his 
case  interested  her.  At  first  she  remembered  Kent's 
warnings  and  tried  to  be  cold,  indifferent,  judicial. 
But  here  was  a  problem  involving  all  the  passions 
and  struggles  of  her  life.  How  could  she  keep  out  of 
it,  or  resist  the  charm  of  it  ?  When  he  described  the 
panic  in  copper,  the  death  of  Thomson,  and  his  part- 


HARVEY   EXPLAINS  189 

ing  with  his  uncle,  "  Oh,  you  were  right,"  she  cried  ; 
"  a  thousand  times  right !  But  it  took  courage." 
When  he  spoke  to  her  of  Marcus,  of  his  summer,  of 
his  sense  of  failure  in  it  all,  she  was  full  of  sympathy. 
"  We  have  to  find  our  niche,"  she  said.  "  Sometimes 
we  grope  blindly,  and  stumble,  and  bruise  and  lame 
ourselves  ;  but  we  slip  into  it  at  last."  When  he 
went  on  and  told  her  frankly  that  he  was  still  grop 
ing,  more  than  ever,  that  sometimes  it  seemed  as  if, 
he  being  what  he  was,  his  duty  was  to  his  uncle 
first  and  foremost,  and  as  if  he  might  finally  end  up 
in  the  business  where  he  had  begun,  she  burst  out 
impulsively,  "  Oh,  no,  no,  no  !  " 

Then  she  interrupted  herself,  remembering  Kent's 
suggestion  as  to  responsibility.  There  was  silence 
and  more  dull  ticking  of  the  clock. 

"  It  is  so  easy  to  do  one's  duty,  so  hard  to  know 
it,"  she  resumed,  with  an  effort  at  coldness.  Yet 
there  was  sympathy  in  her  voice  still. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Harvey,  feeling  the  coldness  as 
well  as  the  sympathy,  and  not  quite  understanding. 
"  But  I  know  my  duty  now  is  to  go." 

He  had  been  there  almost  two  hours,  and  she  did 
not  dispute  his  proposition. 

"  May  I  come  again  ? "  he  asked,  when  she  had 
given  him  her  slight,  pale  hand  in  a  loose  grasp. 

"  Certainly,"  she  replied,  relapsing  at  once   into 


i9o        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

the  conventional  young  woman.  "I  shall  be  pleased 
to  see  you,  when  you  have  leisure.  But  I  warn  you 
that  you  were  fortunate  —  or  unfortunate  —  in  choos 
ing  this  afternoon.  I  am  so  apt  to  be  out." 

That  was  all ;  and  Harvey  found  himself  once 
more  in  the  dull  December  air.  But  he  had  a  vague 
feeling  that  he  should  never  go  back  into  business 
nor  marry  Ethel. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

TAINTED    MONEY 

THE  impression  made  by  the  interview  with  Miss 
Newton  did  not  diminish  as  the  days  passed.  Cer 
tainly  she  was  not  the  sort  of  woman  one  would  fall 
in  love  with.  She  was  too  saintly,  unearthly,  perhaps 
too  cold,  for  that.  Yet  high  ideals  seemed  to  come 
from  her  with  a  more  winning  loveliness  than  even 
from  Marcus  —  seemed  to  be  less  austere,  unbending, 
more  sweetly  human.  Harvey  soon  began  to  ask 
himself  how  long  a  time  must  elapse  before  he  could 
decently  make  that  other  call. 

Meanwhile,  a  few  words  more  had  passed  between 
him  and  Ethel  as  to  their  experience  in  Hudson 
Street. 

"  I  was  unreasonable,  I  suppose,"  Ethel  had  said. 
"  But  it  was  terrible  to  me  to  hear  such  things  about 
papa.  The  woman  was  crazy,  of  course." 

"  Partly,  I  imagine,"  Harvey  answered. 

"  I  think  I  shall  ask  papa  to  tell  me  just  what  it 
all  means." 

"  I  would  n't." 

Nevertheless,  she  did,  as  Harvey  discovered  when 


192        BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

he  called  at  his  uncle's  one  morning  and  found  him 
in  his  study  just  preparing  to  go  down  town. 

"  I  wanted  to  see  you,"  Mr.  Phelps  said.  "  Ethel 
told  me  the  other  day  about  your  visit  to  that  unfor 
tunate  O'Brien  woman.  It  seems  a  hard  case  ;  though, 
of  course,  the  idea  of  my  being  to  blame  for  it  is  too 
absurd.  Business  is  business,  and  must  be  done  by 
business  methods.  The  woman  is  more  or  less  insane, 
probably.  At  any  rate,  I  'm  glad  to  help  her,  so  far 
as  I  can.  But  it  would  hardly  have  been  wise  to  send 
money  directly  to  her.  Ethel  knows  that  Miss  New 
ton,  and  I  have  made  some  inquiries.  She  seems  an 
energetic  and  well-disposed  young  person.  So  I  sent 
her  a  check  for  a  hundred  dollars  for  the  O'Briens. 
At  the  same  time  I  sent  her  a  larger  check  for  the 
College  Settlement,  which  I  understand  she  is  very 
active  in.  That  is  a  charity  that  has  always  inter 
ested  me." 

During  this  longish  harangue  the  speaker  had 
paused  occasionally,  as  if  expecting  some  comment. 
None  came.  Now,  however,  it  seemed  necessary  to 
speak. 

"That  is  very  generous  of  you,  sir,"  Harvey  said. 
Inwardly,  looking  at  the  matter  by  his  newest  lights, 
he  was  not  sure  that  it  was  generous,  and  he  was 
almost  perfectly  sure  that  it  would  make  trouble. 
But  there  was  nothing  else  to  say. 


TAINTED    MONEY  193 

"  I  like  to  do  what  I  can  to  relieve  misery,"  Mr. 
Phelps  continued.  "  I  know  there  is  plenty  of  it  in 
the  world,  and,  though  I  believe  nine  tenths  of  it 
comes  from  improvidence  and  shiftlessness,  there  is 
still  the  other  tenth.  What  pleases  me  about  this 
College  Settlement  idea,  as  I  understand  it,  is  that  it 
is  educational.  Most  misery  comes,  in  one  way  or 
another,  from  ignorance." 

Harvey  did  not  feel  prepared  to  discuss  the  Settle 
ment  question  in  the  light  of  his  uncle's  generosity ; 
and,  for  the  first  moment,  the  sound  of  the  doorbell 
was  rather  a  relief  to  him.  When  Diana  was  an 
nounced,  however,  his  embarassment  became  ten 
times  what  it  had  been  before. 

"  I  had  better  go,"  he  suggested. 

"  No,  no,"  answered  his  uncle.  "  She  has  come  at 
once  to  thank  me.  I  like  that  in  her." 

But  Diana's  appearance  did  not  suggest  any  over 
powering  exuberance  of  gratitude.  She  was  dressed 
in  a  simple,  trim,  brown  walking-suit,  with  sable  muff 
and  boa.  The  cold  January  morning  had  put  a  bit 
of  color  in  her  cheeks ;  but  her  eyes  were  hard  and 
her  manner  formal. 

She  bowed  to  Mr.  Phelps  and  returned  Harvey's 
greeting,  then  sat  down  in  the  chair  which  her  host 
pointed  out  to  her.  When  she  spoke,  her  voice  was 
very  low  and  quiet,  at  first  with  a  slight  tremor  in  it, 


i94        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

but  afterwards  even  and  firm.  "  I  Ve  come  to  bring 
back  your  check  for  the  O'Briens,  Mr.  Phelps."  She 
drew  it  from  her  mufl  and  held  it  out  to  him. 

"  Bring  it  back?"  he  said ;  but  he  did  not  let  his 
voice  express  the  astonishment  which  he  certainly 
felt.  "  And  may  I  ask  why  ?  Some  error,  perhaps?  " 

"No,"  she  replied.  "The  check  is  correct,  —  at 
least,  so  far  as  I  understand  those  things.  But  —  I  am 
not  quite  ready  to  accept  the  money  for  that  purpose." 

Harvey,  sitting  in  the  background  and  little  re 
garded  by  either  actor  in  this  drama,  wondered  how 
his  uncle  would  behave ;  wondered,  yet  knew. 

Mr.  Phelps  took  the  check  and  held  it  in  his  hand. 
"  Of  course,"  he  said  quietly,  "  I  am  not  anxious  to 
force  my  gifts  upon  any  one.  I  am  not  often  obliged 
to.  But  are  n't  you  —  a  little  hasty  in  this  matter  ?  " 

He  half  held  out  the  check  towards  her  once 
more;  but  she  shrank  from  it.  "  No,"  she  answered. 
"When  I  think  of  what  the  money  means  and  of 
that  poor  man,  —  I  could  n't,  I  could  n't." 

Even  Harvey  almost  expected  to  see  his  uncle 
either  impatient  or  embarrassed  after  this  ;  but  if  his 
face  expressed  anything,  it  was  a  very,  very  faint 
gleam  of  amusement,  instantly  controlled,  however. 
"Might  I  suggest,"  he  continued,  "  that  perhaps  you 
are  consulting  your  own  sensitiveness  more  than  the 
good  of  your  clients  ?" 


TAINTED    MONEY  195 

"  No,  no,"  she  returned,  and  her  eyes  were  warmer 
now,  though  her  voice  was  still  quiet.  "  That  money 
couldn't  do  them  good.  They  will  be  cared  for 
otherwise.  Besides,"  she  added,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  "  they  would  n't  touch  it.  Nothing  could 
make  them  touch  it.  I  talked  with  Mrs.  O'Brien 
about  it  this  morning.  Indeed,  perhaps  I  may  say 
'that  by  paying  you  this  early  visit,  which  is  very 
unpleasant  to  me,  I  have  saved  you  one  from  her 
which  would  have  been  still  more  unpleasant  to 
you." 

"  Ah?"  said  Mr.  Phelps,  this  time  a  little  shortly, 
Harvey  thought.  Then  the  banker  tore  the  check  into 
small  pieces,  tossed  them  into  the  waste-basket,  and 
looked  as  if  he  rather  expected  his  visitor  would  go. 

But  she  did  not.  Instead,  she  drew  from  her  muff 
that  other,  larger  check,  which  had  been  sent  her 
for  the  Settlement,  and  held  that  also  toward  her 
long-suffering  victim. 

"  I  must  return  this  other,  too,"  she  began,  her 
voice  even  quieter  and  firmer  than  before. 

The  color  certainly  came  to  Mr.  Phelps' s  cheeks 
now  ;  but  he  showed  no  other  sign  of  irritation  ;  and 
his  manner  was  much  what  it  would  have  been  in 
speaking  to  a  child.  Probably  that  was  just  what 
he  felt  that  he  was  doing. 

"  Excuse  my  arguing  the  matter  a  little  with  you," 


196        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

he  said.  "  I  suppose  your  excellent  charity  must  be 
supported  in  some  way  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  with  perfect  readiness ; 
"  and  doubtless  it  is  supported  by  money  acquired, 
in  many  cases,  by  much  worse  —  in  a  very  doubtful 
fashion.  If  you  send  the  check  directly  to  the  trea 
surer,  I  have  no  question  but  that  he  will  take  it  and 
thank  you.  I  cannot." 

Mr.  Phelps  quietly  tore  the  check  and  sent  it 
after  the  other.  It  was  the  only  thing  approaching 
temper  which  came  from  him  during  the  interview. 
"You  understand,"  he  remarked,  "that  I  am  not 
trying  to  defend  myself.  I  am  simply  rather  curious 
as  to  your  attitude.  Now,  I  think  I  may  say  that, 
taking  all  things  together,  my  standard  of  honesty 
is  —  well,  quite  as  high  as  that  of  the  average  of  the 
men  with  whom  I  live." 

Diana  interrupted  him  with  eagerness.  The  abso 
lute  freedom  —  not  impertinence,  because  it  was  so 
simple  —  of  her  manner  bewildered  Harvey,  who  was 
accustomed  to  seeing  his  uncle  approached  almost 
with  awe.  "  I  don't  doubt  it.  That  is  what  appalls 
me.  If  I  had  meant  to  speak  rudely  to  you  as  an 
individual,  I  shouldn't  have  come  here.  It  is  the 
system  that  is  all  wrong  —  a  system  of  wild  beasts, 
tearing  at  each  other  and  treading  each  other  down. 
There  is  no  love  in  it  —  no  love  in  it." 


TAINTED    MONEY  197 

"Yet,  after  all,"  Mr.  Phelps  urged,  and  his  curios 
ity  seemed  almost  becoming  interest,  "  you  who  are 
fighting  the  devil  must  condescend  to  use  the  devil's 
weapons.  This  check  that  I  drew  you  is  money  in 
the  abstract ;  it  will  feed  and  clothe  and  warm  just  so 
many  poor  .people.  Is  n't  it  better,  from  your  point 
of  view,  that  it  should  go  into  the  hands  of  those  who 
will  do  good  with  it  than  that  it  should  go  back  into 
my  hoard  and  do  more  damage  and  help  tread  down 
more  wild  beasts?" 

He  might  have  been  poking  a  little  fun,  but  Diana 
hardly  thought  so,  and  she  did  n't  care  in  the  least  if 
he  was.  "  No,"  she  returned.  "  That  is  the  common 
argument,  but  I  think  it  is  all  wrong.  Give  all  your 
money,  that  is,  give  yourself,  give  love,  and  we  will 
take  every  cent  of  it,  and  the  use  of  every  cent  will 
bring  a  double  blessing  with  it.  But  we  want  nothing 
from  those  who  think  that  a  few  hundreds  spent  in 
what  they  call  charity  will  give  them  a  social  absolu 
tion  to  rob  in  peace.  That  was  just  what  Jesus  meant 
when  he  rebuked  the  young  man  who  was  very 
rich,  and  who  thought  that  the  exact  giving  of  tithes 
bought  him  the  right  to  live  in  luxury  and  pleasure. 
No  giving  of  tithes  will  buy  that  right,  while  others 
toil  and  suffer.  And  those  who  accept  the  tithes  abet 
the  sin.  But  I  have  no  business  to  preach  to  you, 
Mr.  Phelps."  She  half  rose  from  her  chair. 


198        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"One  moment,"  he  said,  detaining  her.  "Of 
course  you  are  aware  that  you  are  trying  to  make 
the  world  over,  Miss  Newton  ?  It  is  quite  an  under 
taking." 

She  smiled  ;  and  there  was  a  wonderful  winning 
sweetness  in  her  smile  —  so  Harvey  thought.  "  You 
would  like  to  make  me  out  very  conceited.  I  hope 
I  'm  not.  If  you  would  try  to  make  over  the  world, 
you  and  the  thousands  of  great,  strong  souls  like 
you,  who  are  only  busy  holding  it  down  in  the  mire, 
where  it  is,  something  might  be  done.  But  it  needs 
making  over,  doesn't  it?  If  that  is  so,  you  can't 
blame  even  the  little,  weak,  pitiful  ones  for  trying  — 
with  God  to  help  them.  Good-morning,  Mr.  Phelps." 

She  held  out  her  hand,  with  some  hesitation,  and 
he  took  it.  Then,  bowing  slightly  to  Harvey,  she  was 
gone. 

"  A  very  strenuous  young  woman,"  Mr.  Phelps 
remarked.  "  I  rather  like  her.  But  she 's  unpractical ; 
and  if  you  '11  forgive  me  for  saying  so,  it  seems  to 
me  that  she  is  rather  a  take-off  on  you.  Now  I  must 
try  to  get  down  to  the  office." 

Harvey  knew  that  it  was  his  uncle's  habit  on  fine 
days  to  walk  slowly,  as  far  as  his  strength  would 
allow,  for  the  sake  of  the  air  and  exercise,  and  then  to 
take  a  cab.  The  young  man,  therefore,  offered  his 
company,  and  the  two  set  out  side  by  side  in  the 


TAINTED    MONEY  199 

bright  winter  sunshine.  They  had  not  gone  more 
than  half  a  block,  however,  when  the  wan,  wild  face 
of  Mrs.  O'Brien  appeared,  coming  rapidly  towards 
them. 

Harvey  saw  her,  with  much  distress,  and  cried,  al 
most  involuntarily  :  "  There  's  that  woman." 

"What  woman?"  asked  Mr.  Phelps  in  astonish 
ment. 

"The  O'Brien  woman." 

For  a  second,  Harvey,  looking  at  his  uncle,  saw  in 
his  face  that  ruinous  expression  which  comes  over 
the  features  of  the  aged  or  the  feeble  under  sudden 
shock.  It  was  for  only  a  second,  however.  Then  the 
calm  strength  flowed  back. 

"  I  hope  she  won't  make  a  scene,"  Harvey  mur 
mured. 

But  she  did  make  a  scene,  and  it  was  clear  that 
that  was  what  she  was  there  for.  She  walked  straight 
up  to  Mr.  Phelps  and  stopped  in  front  of  him,  so  as 
to  stop  him.  "  I  told  Miss  Newton  I  would  n't  go  to 
your  house,"  she  cried,  in  a  high,  strident  voice  ; 
"  but  I  did  n't  say  I  would  n't  wait  for  you  in  the 
street.  Send  money  to  me,  conscience  money,  blood 
money." 

"  Let  me  pass,  woman,"  said  Mr.  Phelps.  His  voice 
was  calm,  but  his  lips  trembled.  As  he  spoke,  he 
pushed  by  ;  but  the  woman  kept  beside  him  and 


200       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

hissed  her  words  into  his  face.  "  Yes,  blood  money, 
blood  money —  that 's  what  it  was,  to  keep  me  quiet. 
Where 's  my  husband  now  ?  Where 's  my  daughter 
now  ?  It 's  their  blood  you  thought  you  could  buy 
for  a  hundred  dollars." 

Here  Harvey  tried  to  interfere.  "  My  uncle  is  a 
sick  man,  Mrs.  O'Brien.  You  may  kill  him  by  such 
talk  as  this." 

"Kill  him,"  she  shrieked  across  at  the  young 
man.  "  Why  should  n't  I  kill  him  ?  How  many  has 
he  killed  with  his  trusts  and  his  mergers  and  his 
stock-gambling?  It  isn't  only  me  and  mine.  But 
I  '11  talk  to  you,  if  you  like  "  — 

"  The  woman  is  insane,  Harvey,"  said  Mr.  Phelps. 
"  Call  a  cab." 

But  she  continued  her  railing,  while  the  cab  drove 
up.  "  Insane,  am  I  ?  Well,  if  I  am,  who  made  me 
so  ?  Oh,  yes,  you  can  call  your  horses  and  carriages 
and  drive  away  from  anything  you  don't  like  here  ; 
but  it  won't  be  so  in  hell.  And  there's  where  you'll 
go,  for  all  your  millions  and  your  mergers  and  your 
graft  and  boodle.  There  '11  be  a  judge  one  day  that 
you  can't  buy  and  a  policeman  that  won't  bow  down 
to  your  riches." 

This  last  remark  was  for  the  benefit  of  a  member 
of  the  force  who  bustled  up  officiously  just  as  Harvey 
was  putting  his  uncle  into  the  cab.  The  officer  scat- 


TAINTED    MONEY  201 

tered  the  curious  crowd  which  had  assembled.  "  Shall 
I  take  the  woman  in  charge,  Mr.  Phelps  ?  " 

"  No,  no ;  she  will  be  quiet  enough,  when  we  're 
gone." 

So  she  was,  when  the  cab  had  fairly  driven  off  and 
she  had  shaken  her  fist  at  it. 

"  Go  home,"  ordered  the  policeman.  "  Mind  your 
own  business  and  let  others  mind  theirs." 

"  So  I  will.  And  you  mind  yours.  But  I  Jd  like  to 
mind  his  for  a  while." 

"  So  would  I,"  agreed  the  officer,  laughing. 

"That  was  a  disagreeable  episode,"  said  Mr. 
Phelps.  "  It  has  been  an  unpleasant  morning."  He 
made  no  further  allusion  to  the  subject. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  SETTLEMENT 

THE  scene  between  Diana  and  his  uncle  had  by  no 
means  diminished  Harvey's  desire  to  call  upon  the 
young  lady.  That  she  was  strong  in  her  convictions 
was  certain,  and  it  was  evident  that  she  was  afraid  of 
nothing  and  nobody.  But  her  manner  was  so  quiet 
and  so  gentle,  so  perfectly  free  from  conceit  or  arro 
gance,  and  there  was  so  much  charm  in  her  straight 
forward  earnestness,  that  her  acquaintance  seemed 
well  worth  seeking,  especially  by  one  who  was  look 
ing  for  light  in  just  the  directions  in  which  she  ap 
peared  to  have  discovered  it. 

His  first  attempt  to  find  her,  in  the  afternoon, 
failed ;  but  when  he  tried  again,  two  or  three  days 
later,  in  the  evening,  he  was  more  fortunate.  This 
time  she  was  dressed  rather  less  severely  than  before, 
in  a  soft  gray  gown  with  much  soft  tulle  about  her 
neck  and  throat ;  and  in  her  manner,  as  she  greeted 
him,  there  seemed  something  more  of  sweetness  than 
he  had  yet  associated  with  her.  Was  it  the  gown, 
or  the  hour,  or  a  different  mood  from  those  he  had 
known  her  in  hitherto? 


THE   SETTLEMENT  203 

"  I  am  glad  you  came,"  she  said,  as  they  shook 
hands,  "  and  sorry  I  missed  you  the  other  afternoon. 
I  warned  you  that  I  was  often  out,  you  know." 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  in  now,"  was  all  his  answer. 

They  seated  themselves.  "I  hardly  thought  I 
should  see  you  again,"  she  continued,  "after  —  what 
shall  I  say?  —  my  —  my  interview  with  your  uncle." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  he  began ;  then,  changing  to  his 
usual  frankness,  "  But  I  know  why  not.  And  perhaps 
I  ought  not  to  have  come.  It  does  n't  seem  quite  — 
seems  a  little  treacherous  somehow." 

"  Did  your  uncle  know  that  you  were  coming  ?  " 

"  No.    But  I  don't  think  he  would  care." 

"  In  short,  you  don't  think  my  visit  made  any  great 
impression  on  him?"  She  laughed.  Possibly  she 
was  a  bit  nettled,  but  she  did  not  show  it. 

"  Well,  no,  I  don't  think  it  did,"  Harvey  replied. 
"  It  is  n't  very  easy  to  make  an  impression  on  my 
uncle.  Perhaps  you  heard  that  we  met  Mrs.  O'Brien, 
after  we  left  you?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  she  cried,  with  a  look  of  genuine  dis 
tress.  "I  am  so  sorry.  Those  things  never  do  any 
good.  Mrs.  O'Brien  is  n't  quite  right  —  poor  woman. 
She 's  had  enough  to  make  her  so.  I  tried  hard  to 
keep  her  out  of  it  altogether,  but  I  did  n't  succeed, 
as  you  see." 

The  subject  dropped.    Harvey  had  much  to  say, 


204       BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

but  did  not  quite  know  how  to  say  it.  Diana,  for  the 
moment,  seemed  to  be  thinking  of  something  else. 
She  sat  quiet  in  the  big,  dark  chair,  her  head  resting 
against  the  back,  the  light  falling  a  little  from  behind, 
so  that  her  face  was  partly  shadowed  and  the  depth 
of  meaning  in  her  eyes  was  more  divined  than  seen. 
Her  white  hands,  with  the  long,  thin  fingers,  rested 
one  on  the  arm  of  the  chair,  the  other  in  her  lap, 
motionless. 

Harvey  spoke  at  last.  "  I  wanted  to  say  more 
about  my  uncle,  you  know.  He's  been  very  good  to 
me.  I  don't  want  you  to  think  ill  of  him." 

She  started,  just  a  trifle,  as  if  her  thoughts  had 
been  called  back.  "  I  think  ill  of  your  uncle  ?  No, 
indeed,  I  liked  him.  That  was  why  I  went  to  see 
him  —  instead  of  writing.  I  was  afraid  I  might  write 
the  wrong  thing  —  as  I  should  have  done.  That  — 
and  then  it  seemed  more  plucky  to  let  him  speak  — 
if  he  had  anything  to  say.  Was  n't  it  more  plucky  ? 
Or  was  it  impertinent?" 

"  No,"  said  Harvey,  delighted.    "  Plucky." 

"  I  'm  glad  you  think  so.  But  I  liked  your  uncle 
very  much.  He  is  so  strong  —  and  so  quiet.  There 
is  so  much  bustling  strength  in  the  world.  I  bustle 
so  myself  —  without  the  strength.  Think  what  he 
could  have  done,  if  all  that  power  could  have  gone 
for  good  instead  of  harm ! "  Her  head  left  the  chair- 


THE   SETTLEMENT  205 

back  and  the  white  fingers  gripped  the  arm  slightly, 
as  she  was  uplifted  with  the  idea  of  Mr.  Phelps  play 
ing  the  part  of  St.  George  and  slaughtering  fiery 
dragons  ad  libitum. 

"  Not  all  harm,"  Harvey  remonstrated.  "  It  is  hard 
for  me  to  associate  the  idea  of  harm  with  any  one 
who  has  been  so  good  to  me  and  to  all  those  about 
him." 

"  I  know,"  she  answered  thoughtfully.  "  I  can  im 
agine  getting  very  fond  of  your  uncle.  And  yet  he 
can  be  firm,  and  I  think  he  can  be  hard.  Those 
lips"- 

"  He  has  never  been  hard  to  me,"  was  the  simple 
comment. 

"  And  you  have  been  forced  to  be  ungrateful  ?  And 
you  regret  it?" 

Harvey  nodded.  Then  she  led  him  on  to  talk  of 
his  circumstances,  of  his  wishes,  of  his  doubts.  If 
only  he  could  find  the  right  thing  to  do  in  the  world. 
And  he  dwelt  again  upon  his  last  summer's  difficul 
ties,  his  sense  of  failure. 

"  No  one  can  succeed  always,"  she  said.  "  There 
are  things  one  can  do  and  things  one  can't."  In  her 
turn  she  went  on  to  tell  of  her  own  experiences,  of 
efforts  wasted  and  again  of  triumphs.  Her  previous 
winter  at  the  Settlement  had  been  so  hard,  —  so 
many  different  interests  to  meet  and  reconcile.  It 


2o6        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

had  broken  her  down  utterly.  When  she  went  into 
the  country,  for  the  summer,  she  had  made  up  her 
mind  that  with  her  insufficient  strength,  her  fretting 
temper,  as  she  called  it,  any  usefulness  in  the  world 
was  impossible,  and  she  must  settle  back  to  selfish 
leisure  and  inactivity.  Now  here  she  was  again,  not 
trying  to  do  so  much, —-a  little  wiser,  perhaps,  in 
husbanding  her  resources,  but  able  to  do  something, 
and  so  intensely  interested,  so  eager  to  help,  if  only 
a  little,  in  the  thousand  good  works  that  were  going 
on  about  her. 

The  Settlement?  Oh,  yes,  she  could  talk  about 
that  forever.  He  must  n't  let  her  bore  him.  And  she 
gave  him  a  glowing  account  —  in  which  he  found  no 
boredom — of  the  efforts  of  the  little  band  of  workers 
to  get  into  contact  with  the  life  of  the  other  half  of  the 
world,  —  to  disseminate,  by  unconscious  influence, 
such  real  gifts  of  beauty  and  love  and  joy  as  are 
more  readily  within  the  grasp  of  the  rich  and  the 
highly  educated,  although  the  rich  and  the  highly 
educated  have  not  always  the  wisdom  to  profit  by 
them.  As  she  spoke  of  all  these  things,  her  eyes 
gleamed,  even  in  the  shadow,  and  her  breath  came 
quickly ;  but  her  voice  was  low  and  quiet,  and  Har 
vey  could  have  listened  to  her  forever. 

He  did  listen,  until  he  suddenly  became  aware 
that  he  was  staying  beyond  all  reasonable  limits, 


THE   SETTLEMENT  207 

and  even  then  he  was  reluctant  to  have  her  stop. 
As  he  rose  to  go,  he  said  :  "  Will  you  take  me  to 
the  Settlement  some  time  ?  Could  you  ?  " 

There  was  again  a  trifle  of  ordinary  social  for 
mality  in  her  manner,  as  she  hesitated.  "I  don't 
know."  Then  the  natural  warmth  broke  through. 
"  Yes,  why  not  ?  Some  evening  —  when  we  are  both 
at  liberty  —  I  think  next  Friday,  perhaps  —  I  will  tell 
you  about  it  later  —  will  let  you  know.  Could  you 
go  then?" 

Certainly  he  could  go,  —  then,  or  at  almost  any 
time. 

So  it  was  arranged  that  he  should  hear  from  her 
Friday  morning  more  definitely,  and  they  separated, 
with  a  cordial  good-night. 

As  Harvey  walked  home  he  perfectly  appreciated 
how  Kent  would  laugh  at  this  new  instance  of  his 
friend's  eternal  philandering.  But  this  girl  was  dif 
ferent —  altogether  different.  In  fact,  it  was  hard  to 
view  her  as  a  girl  at  all.  She  was  pure  spirit,  and 
the  things  her  earnest  eyes  and  lips  spoke  of  were 
spiritual  wholly.  As  for  himself,  he  was  likely  enough 
to  fall  in  love  with  her,  such  being  his  way.  But  the 
love  would  be  hopeless  and  ideal,  from  the  begin 
ning.  She  would  never  respond  to  it,  never  recog 
nize  it,  unless  with  impatience  or  disgust.  And  her 
spiritual  power  over  him  showed  most  perhaps  in 


208        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

the  fact  that  his  thoughts  soon  strayed  from  herself 
to  her  higher  interests,  to  the  cause  she  had  argued 
so  passionately  and  so  powerfully,  and  to  the  bear 
ing  of  that  cause  on  the  present  crisis  of  his  own 
life.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  Ethel — good,  wholesome, 
practical,  comfortable  Ethel  —  was  fading  dimly  into 
a  quite  unillumined  distance. 

These  impressions  were  by  no  means  diminished 
by  the  sight  of  Diana  in  her  Settlement  surroundings. 
For  Friday  morning  brought  a  note  saying  that  every 
thing  had  been  arranged,  and  in  the  evening  the  two 
visited  together  the  little  colony  which  was  spread 
ing  a  quiet  influence  of  health  and  light  through 
the  darkest,  roughest,  most  discouraging  quarters 
of  the  city.  What  impressed  Harvey  most  of  all  was 
the  common-sense  of  everything.  There  was  no 
faddism,  no  sentimentality,  no  overwrought  enthu 
siasm.  Everything  was  pitched  on  the  note  of  every 
day  effort,  of  simple,  earnest  endeavor  to  accept  life 
as  it  is  and  bring  out  what  is  best  in  it,  —  noblest, 
most  permanent.  Especially  striking  was  the  absence 
of  any  patronizing  tone,  of  any  suggestion  of  char 
ity  in  the  condescending  sense.  These  ladies  of  the 
highest  breeding  and  cultivation  were  simply  trying 
to  live  among  the  people,  as  of  the  people,  to  under 
stand  them  first  and  help  them  afterwards,  even  with 
a  consciousness  that  they  themselves  were  in  need  of 


THE    SETTLEMENT  209 

help  as  much  as  those  about  them  and  might  some 
times  get  it  where  they  looked  for  it  least. 

Harvey  was  introduced  to  several  people  who 
seemed  to  know  of  him  and  greeted  him  cordially. 
He  went  into  rooms  where  classes  were  studying, 
one  the  simpler  and  better  known  English  and  Ameri 
can  authors,  another  current  events  of  political  and 
social  interest.  Elsewhere  he  got  a  glimpse  of  a 
mothers'  club,  worn  women  who  had  washed  the 
supper  dishes  and  put  the  babies  to  bed  and  now 
were  assembled  for  a  social  chat  or  a  practical  dis 
cussion  of  some  domestic  topic.  When  he  looked 
into  the  room  later,  they  were  playing  a  game  of 
forfeits  and  went  at  it  as  eagerly  as  children,  with 
the  same  intense  self-forgetfulness.  "They  love  to 
play  all  the  old  games,"  said  Diana,  —  "Going  to 
Jerusalem,  Blind  Man's  Buff  ;  they  will  romp  as  if 
they  were  fifteen  instead  of  fifty." 

So  the  evening  slipped  away,  Harvey  saying  little 
and  thinking  much.  It  was  the  atmosphere  of  the 
whole  thing  that  touched  him,  as  of  a  world  he  had 
not  as  yet  known.  Something  real  was  being  done 
here,  something  worth  while.  There  was  solid  accom 
plishment,  in  the  face  of  all  distinctions  of  high  and 
low,  rich  and  poor.  It  was  not  much  as  yet,  but  it 
was  enough  to  suggest  vast  possibilities  of  things  to 
come.  Above  all,  —  and  this  was  what  he  thought  of 


210       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

most,  — the  evening  had  given  him  a  better  appre 
ciation  of  Diana,  of  her  obvious  intensity  and  enthu 
siasm  in  union  with  calm  self-control  and  common- 
sense. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said  simply,  as  he  bade  her 
good-night.  "  I  understand  the  Settlement  now  bet 
ter  than  I  did.  And  I  understand  you  better." 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THE  BAITING  OF  DIANA 

THE  severe  cold  of  midwinter  was  trying  for  Mr. 
Phelps,  and  there  were  many  days  when  he  made  no 
attempt  to  get  to  the  office  at  all.  Indeed,  his  sister 
and  Ethel,  watching  him  constantly,  felt  that,  in  spite 
of  his  splendid  courage,  his  strength  was  slipping 
away  fast,  and  that  the  final  collapse  might  come  at 
any  time. 

To  Harvey  his  uncle  had  never  made  any  further 
reference  to  Diana's  visit ;  but  he  had  mentioned  it 
occasionally  to  his  sister  and  daughter,  first  describ 
ing  what  had  happened,  in  his  brief,  vivid  fashion  — 
immensely  to  Miss  Lucia's  disgust  —  and  then  once 
and  again  dwelling  upon  the  spirit  and  earnestness 
of  the  young  enthusiast. 

Finally,  one  evening,  as  the  three  sat  together  in 
the  library,  Mr.  Phelps  remarked :  "  Lucia,  I  think  I 
should  like  to  have  that  Miss  Newton  come  and  dine 
with  us." 

"  What?"  said  Miss  Phelps,  overcome  with  aston 
ishment,  while  Ethel  lost  her  place  in  her  new  novel, 
a  thing  which  occurred  rather  frequently,  by  the  way. 


212        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  She  interested  me,"  went  on  the  autocrat  of  the 
family,  unperturbed.  "  I  think  I  should  like  to  see 
her." 

"  I  don't  think  I  should  like  to  see  her  at  all," 
answered  the  quiet  Lucia,  with  unusual  flatness. 
"  Besides," — here  she  glanced  at  Ethel,  who  sud 
denly  found  her  place,  or  another  one  just  as  good, 
—  "  the  truth  is,  Mr.  Kent  was  saying  the  other  day 
that  Harvey  goes  to  see  this  —  a  —  young  woman. 
Probably  we  should  want  to  ask  Harvey  to  any  din 
ner  that  we  had — and  I  don't  see  why  we  should 
lead  him  to  think  that  we  approve  of  her  at  all." 

Mr.  Phelps  was  still  unperturbed,  and  not  at  all 
disposed  to  give  up  his  wishes  out  of  any  fantastic 
consideration  for  his  nephew.  "  I  don't  know  that  we 
are  obliged  to  ask  Harvey ;  though,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  I  think  you  might  as  well.  He  is  old  enough  to 
choose  his  own  friends,  if  not  wise  enough." 

"  But,"  urged  the  still  reluctant  Miss  Phelps,  with 
all  the  persistence  of  her  brother's  own  sister,  "  it 
seems  a  little  awkward.  What  shall  I  say  to  her?  " 

"  State  the  facts.  It  is  a  method  which  she,  of  all 
people,  ought  to  appreciate.  I  was  interested  and 
should  like  to  see  more  of  her.  I  am  an  old  man 
and  cannot  go  to  her.  Will  she  do  me  the  favor  of 
coming  to  me?" 

Here  Ethel  lost  her  place  again  and  took  part  in 


THE    BAITING   OF    DIANA        213 

the  conversation.  "  Papa,  if  she  comes,  would  you 
mind  asking  Milly  and  Mr.  Kent  ?  It  would  be  so 
dreadfully  solemn  without." 

"  I  Ve  no  objection.  Miss  Erskine  is  always  wel 
come  as  your  friend,"  —  there  was  a  quiet  tenderness 
in  his  tone  which  touched  Ethel  deeply,  —  "  though 
I  must  say  she 's  a  little  airy  for  me.  As  for  Kent,  I 
like  him." 

The  note  to  Diana  got  itself  written,  though  sorely 
against  the  grain.  It  would  have  been  written  to  no 
purpose,  however,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  interces 
sion  of  both  Kent  and  Harvey. 

"  What  should  I  do  there  ?  What  should  I  say  ?  " 
urged  the  young  lady  to  her  cousin. 

"  You  will  do  what  is  graceful  and  proper,  as 
always,"  Kent  replied.  "  And  it  is  unnecessary  for 
me  or  any  man  living  to  provide  you  with  anything 
to  say." 

"  That 's  just  it.  I'm  sure  to  say  something  I 
ought  not." 

"  If  I  can  judge  in  the  matter  at  all,  that  is  exactly 
what  is  expected  of  you.  From  all  I  hear,  your  one 
interview  with  Mr.  Phelps  consisted  of  a  huge  mass 
of  things  you  ought  not  to  have  said.  Yet  he  seems 
to  desire  another." 

Diana  was  by  no  means  satisfied.  "  Then  I  'm  to  go 
and  make  a  spectacle  of  myself  and  be  laughed  at." 


2i4        BETWEEN    TWO   MASTERS 

"  You  certainly  won't  be  laughed  at,  because  you 
are  going  among  ladies  and  gentlemen,  a  sort  of  so 
ciety  you  haven't  frequented  latterly.  I  think  you 
rather  owe  it  to  the  bloated  capitalist  to  go,  after  the 
way  you  've  treated  him." 

Harvey's  method  of  argument  was  more  sympa 
thetic  and  more  effective. 

"  I  'm  not  used  to  that  sort  of  thing  nowadays," 
Diana  said  to  him.  "  I  shall  hardly  know  how  to 
behave." 

"  It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  if  you  would  go," 
was  the  quiet  answer. 

Then  Diana  wrote  a  cordial  acceptance  and  the 
thing  was  settled. 

It  was  a  charming  dinner.  Miss  Lucia  and  Ethel, 
by  long  practice  with  unlimited  means,  had  learned 
to  do  the  thing  to  perfection.  The  light  in  the  room 
was  so  soft,  the  table  was  so  delicately  furnished,  the 
flowers  were  so  exquisitely  chosen,  not  too  few,  not 
too  many.  The  wines  were  as  exquisitely  chosen  as 
the  flowers,  —  soft,  not  too  many,  nor  too  few.  The 
whole  thing  was  simple,  with  the  simplicity  which 
can  only  be  had  by  taste  and  money  combined.  Yet 
Harvey,  as  he  enjoyed  it  with  all  his  big  capacity  of 
material  enjoyment,  thought  constantly  of  that  other 
evening  at  the  Settlement.  Something  there  that 
could  not  be  furnished  by  either  taste  or  money. 


THE    BAITING   OF    DIANA        215 

Mr.  Phelps  took  Diana  out.  She  was  very  attrac 
tive  to  look  at  in  her  light,  lemon-colored  crepe  gown, 
cut  simply,  and  filled  in  with  lace  at  the  neck,  a 
charming  thing  in  itself,  but  not  especially  calcu 
lated  to  harmonize  with  Milly's  pink  chiffon. 

(i  I  hope  it  is  peace  between  us,"  said  the  gentle 
man,  smiling. 

"  I  hope  so,"  Diana  answered,  with  a  laugh  and 
with  a  little  blush  also.  —  "I  did  not  mean  to  be 
warlike  the  other  day.  But  I  fear  I  am  bellicose  by 
nature.  Even  now  I  feel  that  I  am  likely  to  outrage 
hospitality  at  any  moment." 

Mr.  Phelps  smiled  again.  Pale  and  ill  as  he  looked, 
there  was  a  certain  nobility  and  dignity  about  his 
slight  figure  in  the  severe  evening  dress.  Diana  was 
touched  by  it  and  even  more  disposed  than  before  to 
like  him  personally. 

From  the  beginning  the  dinner  showed  no  signs 
of  being  dull.  Kent  and  Milly  kept  the  talk  moving, 
and  Mr.  Phelps  and  Diana  were  always  ready  to 
respond,  if  they  did  not  initiate. 

"  And  to  think,"  Kent  remarked,  sipping  his  brown 
amontillado,  while  the  spring  lamb  and  asparagus 
were  being  removed,  "  to  think  that  Diana  totally 
disapproves  of  all  this,  and  would  rather  be  sharing 
her  last  crust  with  a  tramp  in  an  old  barn  ! " 

Diana  colored  a  little.    "  I  don't  know  why  you 


216        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

should  bait  me,  George,"  she  said.  "  Though  I  re 
member  of  old,  you  abused  a  cousin's  privilege  of 
tormenting.  I  wish  there  were  no  tramps  and  no 
crusts,  just  as  much  as  you  do.  I  wish  all  the  tramps 
might  be  here." 

"  Heaven  forbid ! "  protested  the  affectionate 
cousin. 

But  Mr.  Phelps,  who  had  hitherto  courteously  re 
frained  from  drawing  Diana  out,  now  thought  it 
might  be  permissible  to  seize  the  opportunity.  "  I'm 
sure  you  will  believe,  Miss  Newton,  that  nobody, 
unless  your  cousin,  wishes  to  bait  you  or  outrage 
hospitality.  But  now  that  the  tramps  have  been 
introduced,  would  you  mind  pursuing  them  a  little 
further?" 

"To  the  end  of  the  world,"  Kent  murmured. 

But  Diana  answered  amiably,  "  Not  in  the  least." 

"  Well,  then,"  Mr.  Phelps  went  on,  "  since  we  can't 
have  all  the  tramps  here  —  which  I  am  willing  to 
regret  —  in  the  abstract  —  as  you  do  —  don't  you 
think  it  is  better  for  us  to  be  here  than  no  one  ?  Or, 
to  put  it  somewhat  less  selfishly,  is  n't  it  better  for 
the  country,  for  the  tramps  themselves,  that  there 
should  be  a  leisure  class  into  which  everyone  may 
make  his  way  who  has  the  ability,  and  what  is  much 
more,  the  self-denial "  — 

"  And  the  luck,"  Kent  interrupted. 


THE    BAITING   OF    DIANA        217 

"  And  the  luck,  a  little,  perhaps,  —  a  class  which 
stands  for  what  is  beautiful  and  refined  and  graceful 
and  delicate  ?  You  would  n't  wish  those  things  put 
out  of  the  world  altogether  because  everybody  can't 
have  them  ?  " 

Diana  reflected  a  moment  before  she  answered, 
with  extreme  gentleness,  "  I  am  not  sure  that  I 
would  n't  put  them  out  of  the  world  under  those  con 
ditions.  The  large  beauty  of  great  art  should  belong 
to  every  one.  The  large  beauty  of  nature  does.  What 
are  called  delicacy  and  refinement  are  so  apt  to  go 
with  falsehood  and  selfishness.  But  it  would  be  quite 
false  in  me  to  pretend  that  I  am  not  enjoying  your 
hospitality,  Mr.  Phelps.  Beauty  and  grace  appeal  to 
me,  I  admit." 

"  Exactly,"  answered  the  host,  pressing  her,  but 
not  in  the  least  with  unkindness.  "  But  is  n't  it  neces 
sary  to  have  leisure  in  order  to  appreciate  these 
things  in  any  form  ?  You  say  the  beauty  of  nature 
belongs  to  every  one.  But  does  our  tramp,  who  lives 
in  the  midst  of  it,  care  for  his  possession  ?  Is  n't  it 
only  the  leisure  class  who  really  enjoy  even  what  is 
the  common  property  of  all  ?  " 

"  It  may  be  so,"  replied  Diana,  still  with  the  same 
unassertive  gentleness ;  "  but  I  think  it  ought  not. 
And  if  there  is  to  be  a  leisure  class,  at  least,  it 
seems  to  me  that  they  ought  to  buy  their  leisure 


2i 8        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

by  a  large  amount  of  service  to  the  community  as 
a  whole.  I  wonder  if  I  might  ask  you  one  thing, 
Mr.  Phelps?" 

"  Many  things."  His  manner  was  as  gentle  as  hers. 
The  rest  of  the  company  listened  curiously. 

"  Well,  then,  can  you  tell  me  why  it  is  that  in  Eng 
land  the  leisure  class  — at  any  rate,  so  many  of  them 
—  seem  to  feel  it  their  duty  to  give  the  best  of  their 
lives  to  their  country  ?  Of  course,  I  am  not  saying 
that  things  as  a  whole  in  England  are  better  than 
they  are  here ;  but  if  all  the  splendid  intellect  in  the 
country,  which  goes  into  the  pure,  gross  making  of 
money,  were  expended  on  public  affairs,  if  the  Rocke 
fellers,  the  Carnegies,  the  Morgans,  the  Phelpses, 
would  go  into  politics  and  public  life,  with  a  genuine 
patriotic  purpose,  what  a  difference  it  would  make." 

"  My  dear  young  lady,"  Mr.  Phelps  answered.  "  In 
England  it  is  a  hereditary  aristocracy  that  does  those 
things,  and  the  tramps  are  far  more  excluded  than 
they  are  here." 

At  this  point  Kent  spoke  up  rather  unexpectedly. 
"  Might  I  say  a  few  words  on  the  question  before  the 
meeting  ?  " 

Mr.  Phelps  nodded,  and  Diana  looked  a  little  an 
noyed. 

"Of  course  I  'm  nothing  but  a  comic  journalist,  and 
I  Jm  not  supposed  to  pay  any  attention  to  public  mat- 


THE    BAITING   OF    DIANA        219 

ters,  except  as  a  huge  joke.  Still  I  do,  occasionally, 
absurd  as  it  may  seem.  And  I  've  often  thought  of 
what  Diana  says,  because  I  've  had  a  notion  that  I  'd 
like  to  go  into  politics  myself.  You  laugh  ;  but  I  'm 
not  a  literary  chap  by  nature.  I  stumbled  into  it ;  but 
that  sort  of  success  does  n't  appeal  to  me,  and  I  'd 
give  it  up  to-morrow,  if  I  saw  any  chance.  Only  in 
politics  there 's  no  chance  for  a  man  to  be  a  man  at 
all.  In  England  you  get  into  Parliament,  and  what 
you  do  and  say  counts.  If  there  's  the  stuff  of  a  prime 
minister  in  you,  you  get  to  be  prime  minister.  Here 
the  whole  machinery  is  devised  to  put  men  into  the 
background  and  let  things  be  run  by  the  petty  tricks 
of  shyster  lawyers.  If  a  hard-hitting,  clean-meaning 
man  gets  to  the  top  —  as  one  has  —  he  's  got  to  do 
it  by  strangling  a  million  politicians  with  their  own 
dirty  wires.  Give  the  Rockefellers  and  the  Morgans 
—  and  me  —  a  chance  to  govern,  and  we  had  a  thou 
sand  times  rather  do  it  than  run  corporations.  But 
no  big  man  cares  to  spend  half  his  time  squashing 
spiders  in  the  dark,  for  nothing. " 

This  outburst  shifted  the  conversation  into  other 
channels,  and  Diana's  part  in  it  once  more  became 
secondary. 

After  dinner  the  ladies  went  upstairs  to  the  draw 
ing-room.  Spring  fashions  came  up  first  for  discus 
sion  —  naturally ;  and  Diana  showed  a  true  woman's 


220       BETWEEN   TWO    iMASTERS 

interest  in  the  subject  and  familiarity  with  it,  not  giv 
ing  herself  the  least  air  of  superiority  to  such  vanities. 
Nevertheless,  after  a  few  moments,  Milly  pretended 
to  feel  the  need  of  apologizing. 

"  I  'm  afraid  these  things  don't  interest  you,"  she 
said. 

Diana  colored  and  asked:  "Why  not?  I  am  a 
woman." 

"Of  course.  But  I  thought  —  you  might  feel  — 
that  it  was  all  a  little  worldly." 

"  Even  the  unworldly  must  wear  clothes,  I  suppose. 
It  seems  to  me  more  affected  to  be  out  of  the  fashion 
than  in  it.  Besides,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  should  n't  care 
to  talk  shop,  if  I  had  a  shop,  all  the  time." 

Milly  was  unusually  perverse,  and  it  pleased  her  to 
misinterpret  this  little  snub.  " I'm  glad  to  hear  you 
say  that.  Do  you  know,  I  should  think  you  would 
get  awfully  sick  of  that  kind  of  work  ?  I  should,  before 
I  began.  I  agree  so  heartily  with  what  you  said  at 
dinner,  that  the  world  would  be  better  if  there  were 
no  poor  people  in  it.  And  I  do  my  best  to  make  that 
kind  of  a  world  by  thinking  about  them  as  little  as  I 
can.  I  love  pretty  things,  I  love  luxury,  and  idleness, 
and  ease.  I  love  just  pure,  naughty  worldliness.  If 
I  could  share  it  with  others,  I  would ;  but  I  would  n't 
give  it  up  for  them." 

"  Oh,"  burst  out  Diana,  with  the  light  in  her  eyes 


THE    BAITING   OF    DIANA        221 

which  made  her  beautiful,  "  how  can  you  say  such 
things  ?  If  you  could  actually  go  among  those  who 
have  neither  beauty  nor  luxury  and  feel  their  lives  ! 
I  suppose  you  have  always  had  everything  and  never 
known  want  or  even  discomfort ;  but  one  can't  tell 
what  accident  may  happen  "  — 

Here  Diana  suddenly  remembered  that  she  was 
talking  to  Miss  Erskine,  and  that  she  had  heard  some 
thing  of  Miss  Erskine' s  history ;  and  she  found  diffi 
culty  in  finishing  her  sentence. 

Ethel  saw  the  difficulty  and  would  have  helped ; 
but  Ethel's  wits  moved  slowly  off  the  golf-field  ;  and 
Milly,  not  in  the  least  disconcerted,  spoke  for  her 
self. 

"  Accidents  do  happen.  Accidents  have  happened 
to  me.  If  I  were  really  rolling  in  wealth,  I  should 
find  it  a  duty,  possibly  even  an  amusement,  to  run 
after  those  who  are  not.  But,  you  see,  I  spend  five 
hours  of  the  day  —  and  some  of  the  night  —  for  a 
pitiable  remuneration,  looking  after  the  intellectual 
needs  of  those  who  have  no  needs  and  no  intellect. 
It  sours  me.  I  am  abominably  poor  myself,  and  that 
is  why  I  flee  from  the  society  of  my  equals." 

It  was  perhaps  fortunate  that  Mr.  Phelps  appeared 
at  this  point,  having  left  Kent  and  Harvey  to  finish 
their  cigars  by  themselves.  He  invited  Diana  to 
come  and  sit  on  the  sofa  beside  him,  while  Milly, 


222        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

Ethel,  and  Miss  Lucia  carried  on  a  conversation  of 
their  own. 

The  talk  on  the  sofa  turned  at  first  on  Diana's  per 
sonal  history.  Mr.  Phelps  inquired,  with  genuine 
interest,  about  her  early  life,  her  education,  her  ex 
periences  at  college,  and  the  influences  that  had  led 
her  into  her  present  pursuits.  She  answered  him 
simply,  modestly,  dwelling  much  more  on  her  friends 
and  teachers  than  on  herself.  She  hardly  had  any 
pursuits,  she  said  ;  was  hardly  more  than  a  watcher 
compared  to  the  real  workers  ;  but  when  one  saw 
all  the  greed  and  selfishness,  and,  worst  of  all,  the 
indifference,  in  the  world,  it  was  impossible  to  fold 
one's  hands  and  do  nothing. 

"  And  how  does  your  father  feel  about  it  all  ?  " 

"  My  father  is  very  kind  and  indulgent  always," 
Diana  answered.  Then  she  added,  with  a  sudden 
burst  of  frankness :  "  I  'm  afraid  he  feels  about  me 
very  much  as  you  do." 

Mr.  Phelps  laughed  quietly.  "  The  older  genera 
tion,  my  dear.  It  is  hard  for  us  to  keep  up.  Tell  me," 
he  went  on,  "is  it  your  notion  that  all  rich  people 
are  wicked  ?  " 

Diana's  tone  was  sober,  but  perhaps  there  was  a 
slight  gleam  in  her  eyes,  as  she  said,  after  a  moment's 
reflection  :  "  None  of  my  notions  are  very  clear ;  but 
I  think  so.  That  is,  it  is  wicked  to  be  rich." 


THE    BAITING   OF    DIANA        223 

"  But,  after  all,  riches  is  a  relative  term." 

"  No,  not  in  my  use  of  it  Leisure,  self-education, 
beauty,  even  a  certain  kind  of  luxury,  are  not  riches. 
Riches  are  the  mere  accumulation  of  money  for  itself 
and  the  arrogance  of  it." 

"  I  see."  Mr.  Phelps  was  taking  real  pleasure  in 
the  touch  of  this  young,  eager  spirit,  and  his  manner 
showed  it.  "  Now,"  he  continued,  "  supposing  you 
had  as  much  property  as  I  have,  what  would  you  do 
with  it?" 

"  I  won't  suppose  it,"  was  the  quick  answer.  "  It 
would  be  dreadful." 

"  You  would  get  rid  of  it,  then,  as  soon  as  possible  ? 
Or  perhaps  you  think  —  from  my  experience  the 
other  day  —  that  nobody  could  be  found  to  take 
it?" 

"  I  have  no  doubt  I  could  get  rid  of  it.  But  I  am 
not  going  to  indulge  in  impossible  suppositions,  Mr. 
Phelps.  It  makes  one  dizzy  to  think  of  the  good 
one  could  do  with  so  much  money ;  but  what  a  re 
sponsibility  ! " 

They  were  silent  for  a  moment,  Mr.  Phelps  won 
dering  how  best  he  could  get  her  to  talk  freely,  and 
Diana  not  quite  comfortable,  in  spite  of  her  strong 
sense  of  his  kindliness. 

At  length  he  said  :  "  And  you  mean  to  go  on  de 
voting  your  whole  life  in  this  way  to  —  charity?" 


224       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  Don't  call  it  charity,  please.  I  have  come  to 
hate  that  word."  She  sat  up  erect  in  her  corner, 
turning  towards  him,  yet  speaking  softly,  so  as  not 
to  attract  the  attention  of  the  others.  "  Saint  Paul 
said  good  things  of  charity,  but  the  world  seems 
different  nowadays.  Charity  is  puffed  up,  and 
boasteth  itself,  goes  about  with  a  tinkling  cymbal, 
a  whole  brass  band,  in  fact.  What  we  want  is  love, 
just  love,  to  give  ourselves.  It  is  easier  to  give  mil 
lions  of  money  than  to  do  that.  To  get  right  into  the 
lives  of  others,  to  touch  their  hearts,  and  let  them 
touch  ours.  Not  to  condescend,  not  to  stretch  out 
the  tips  of  our  fingers  with  a  coin  in  them.  Love  will 
solve  all  the  problems,  Mr.  Phelps ;  but  there  is  so 
little  of  it  in  the  world,  so  little." 

She  leaned  back  again,  half  sorry  for  what  she 
had  said  ;  for  she  knew  by  many  experiences  that 
his  remark  about  an  older  generation  was  true,  and 
that  in  spite  of  his  paternal  interest  in  her,  her  en 
thusiasm  would  fall  off  from  him  like  the  spray  of  a 
fountain  from  cold  marble. 

But  before  he  made  any  response  whatsoever,  her 
carriage  was  announced  and  she  rose  to  go. 

"  I  hope  you  won't  think  I  'm  an  impertinent 
young  minx,"  she  said,  as  she  shook  hands  with  Mr. 
Phelps. 

"On  the  contrary,  all  your  remarks  are  exceed- 


THE    BAITING   OF   DIANA        225 

ingly  pertinent.  Only  I  fear  you  are  very,  very 
young.  I  wish  I  were." 

"  I  wish  you  were."  There  was  something  in  her 
voice  approaching  tenderness. 

Then  she  exchanged  a  more  or  less  cordial  good 
night  with  the  others,  including  Kent,  who  had  just 
come  upstairs  with  Harvey ;  while  the  latter  went 
down  again,  to  put  her  into  her  carriage. 

There  was  a  short  silence,  after  she  had  gone, 
broken  by  Milly's  addressing  herself  to  Kent :  "  Do 
you  think,  now  I  am  growing  old,  it  would  pay  me 
to  go  into  the  prophetic  and  benevolent  line  ?  I  have 
queer  impulses  that  way  sometimes." 

"  Wait  till  you  begin  to  grow  old  and  then  see." 

"You  are  n't  troubled  about  reforming  the  world?" 
she  went  on. 

"  Not  one  little  bit.  I've  damaged  my  solar  plexus, 
making  my  way  in  it,  as  it  is.  I  don't  want  to  begin 
all  over  again." 

"  Besides,"  Milly  added,  with  apparent  inconse 
quence,  "  it  did  seem  unnecessary  for  her  to  put  my 
best  frock  out  of  countenance." 

Then  Mr.  Phelps  disposed  of  the  subject  in  his 
quiet,  decisive  fashion  :  "  I  think  we  might  all  learn 
something  to  our  advantage  from  Miss  Newton;" 
and  the  conversation  traveled  into  other  lands. 


CHAPTER  XX 

MR.   PHELPS'S  WILL 

MR.  PHELPS'S  strength  failed  more  and  more,  as 
the  days  ran  on  ;  and  by  the  middle  of  February  he 
was  confined  to  his  bed  with  an  extreme  weakness, 
which  made  it  seem  as  if  the  end  must  be  very  near. 
Yet  his  courage  was  as  great  as  ever,  and  he  made 
no  complaint,  rarely  even  any  reference  to  his  own 
discomfort.  Ethel  was  with  him  constantly,  reading 
or  talking  to  him,  or  sitting  quiet,  with  her  embroid 
ery  or  a  book,  while  he  dozed  away  the  time. 

He  had  never  said  much  to  her  about  financial 
arrangements,  simply  giving  her  to  understand  that 
she  would  be  amply  provided  for.  She  felt  no  anx 
iety  about  herself ;  but  she  was  very  much  troubled 
about  Harvey.  Was  it  possible  that  her  father  would 
leave  him  nothing  at  all  ? 

Finally,  when  some  slight  excuse  presented  itself, 
she  asked  the  question. 

"  No,"  was  the  quiet  answer.  "  How  can  you  leave 
anything  to  a  person  who  won't  take  it  ?  " 

"  But  he  would  take  something,  I  'm  sure." 


MR.  PHELPS'S   WILL  227 

"  And  how  am  I  to  decide  just  what  amount  of  my 
tainted  fortune  would  suit  the  delicate  digestion  of 
his  conscience  ?  He  has  enough  to  live  upon  of  his 
own,  or  thinks  he  has.  Besides,  I  want  every  cent  of 
my  money  to  stay  in  the  business.  The  business  is 
my  child.  The  business  —  and  you.  I  wish  Harvey 
would  take  them  both." 

Ethel  smiled  —  and  blushed  a  little.  "Unfortu 
nately  he  wants  neither.  But,  papa,  I  can't  bear  to 
feel  that  I  am  interfering  with  him." 

"  You  're  not.  Nobody  has  interfered  with  him  but 
himself." 

There  was  a  long  pause,  during  which  Ethel  plied 
her  needle.  Then  she  spoke  once  more.  u  At  least, 
papa,  I  trust  you  '11  arrange  matters  so  that  if  Harvey 
should  change  his  mind  there  will  be  a  chance  for 
him  to  go  into  the  business." 

"  If  he  marries  you." 

"  Really,  papa,"  she  answered,  almost  with  irrita 
tion,  "  there  is  a  good  deal  of  the  sheep  about  me, 
but  I  don't  think  I  could  ever  be  driven  to  marry 
Harvey,  after  all  that 's  come  and  gone.  Leave  me 
out  of  the  question.  I  can't  help  hoping  that  he'll 
marry  Milly,  and  then  he  would  need  money  —  a 
great  deal." 

Mr.  Phelps  was  thoughtful.  "  I  don't  like  Milly. 
Still,  anything  would  be  better  than  his  marrying 


228       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

such  a  person  as  Miss  Newton.  Marry  Milly?  And 
go  into  the  business?" 

"  Yes,  papa.  It  would  be  so  satisfactory.  Do  at 
least  leave  him  the  chance.  And  do  talk  with  Har 
vey  once  more.  Promise  me  you  will." 

"  I  '11  consider  it." 

"  Only  don't  say  anything  about  Milly,  of  course. 
Harvey  is  "  — 

"  As  obstinate  as  a  Phelps  should  be.  I  know  it," 
was  the  weary  answer. 

The  interview  with  Harvey  took  place  the  same 
afternoon  ;  but  it  was  brief. 

"  Why  do  you  tire  yourself  with  thinking  of  these 
things  now,  uncle  Amos  ? "  the  young  man  remon 
strated. 

"  Because  now  is  just  the  time  when  it  is  necessary 
to  think  of  them.  Not  but  that  I  have  long  ago  done 
all  my  thinking  and  made  my  arrangements.  But 
I  will  make  them  over  again,  my  boy,  in  a  moment, 
if  you  say  so.  Harvey,  say  that,  after  all,  you  will 
take  up  the  business  —  for  my  sake." 

There  was  a  wistfulness  in  the  utterance  of  the 
dying  man,  which  he  would  hardly  have  shown  even 
a  month  before.  Harvey  heard  it,  felt  it,  and  tears 
came  into  his  eyes  ;  his  voice  trembled,  as  he  an 
swered  :  "  I  can't,  uncle,  I  can't.  I  should  only  be 
deceiving  you.  If  I  promised  and  tried  to  keep  my 


MR.  PHELPS'S   WILL  229 

promise  in  the  letter,  I  should  break  it  in  the 
spirit." 

Mr.  Phelps  urged  the  point  no  further,  and  showed 
no  more  signs  of  emotion,  certainly  none  of  anger, 
as  he  added  :  "  One  thing  more  I  did  want  to  speak 
of.  That  Miss  Newton  —  I  hope  you  won't  take  a 
fancy  to  her." 

"  A  fancy  to  her  ?  "  Harvey  repeated,  a  little  sur 
prised  and  a  little  annoyed. 

4  "  Enthusiasm  makes  a  useful  neighbor  —  at  a  safe 
distance,"  his  uncle  went  on.  "  But  a  very,  very  bad 
housemate." 

This  was  all  that  was  said  between  them  on  the 
subject  that  was  nearest  to  both  their  hearts.  A 
week  later  Mr.  Phelps  was  dead. 

The  disposition  of  his  property  was  substantially 
what  those  nearest  to  him  had  expected.  Mr.  Legge 
was  left  sole  executor  and  trustee.  Several  hundred 
thousand  dollars  were  distributed  among  different 
charities  in  which  Mr.  Phelps  was  interested.  The 
bulk  of  the  property  was  to  remain  in  the  various 
business  enterprises  represented  by  Phelps  &  Legge, 
and  the  firm  was  to  continue  under  that  name.  Miss 
Phelps  and  Ethel  were  to  have  practically  what  in 
come  they  might  think  proper  to  draw,  subject,  be 
yond  a  certain  amount,  to  the  discretion  of  the 
executor.  If  Ethel  should  marry,  her  husband  was  to 


23o        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

be  admitted  into  the  firm,  if  the  executor  should  think 
best,  and  her  son,  if  she  had  one,  was  to  be  heir  to 
the  whole  property,  the  testator  expressing  a  strong 
wish  that  the  said  son  might  be  brought  up  to  think 
of  the  business  as  his  sole  and  proper  vocation  in 
life.  If  Ethel  should  have  only  daughters,  their  posi 
tion,  in  relation  to  the  property,  was  to  be  the  same  as 
their  mother's.  If,  for  any  unforeseen  reason,  the  firm 
of  Phelps  &  Legge  should  be  dissolved,  the  sum  of 
one  million  dollars  was  to  go  straight  to  Miss  Phelps 
and  Ethel  and  the  remainder  of  the  property  was 
to  be  distributed,  in  proportion,  to  the  above-men 
tioned  charities.  If  Ethel  should  die  without  issue, 
the  property  was  to  go  to  Harvey  and  his  children, 
under  the  same  conditions  as  to  her. 

No  other  reference  was  made  to  Harvey  in  the  will, 
as  it  originally  stood.  Three  days  before  his  death, 
however,  Mr.  Phelps  had  added  a  codicil,  directing 
that,  in  case  his  nephew  should,  at  any  time,  show  a 
desire  to  become  a  member  of  the  firm,  the  executor 
should,  if  possible  and  when  possible,  make  an  effort 
to  bring  about  such  an  arrangement.  "  Also,"  it  was 
added,  "  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  said  beloved 
nephew,  Harvey  C.  Phelps,  the  entire  right  and  title 
to  the  house  and  estate  at  Woodsley,  where  the  said 
nephew's  father  and  myself  were  born.  This  estate, 
which  came  from  his  grandfather,  and  partly,  by  pur- 


MR.  PHELPS'S   WILL  231 

chase,  from  his  father,  my  said  nephew  may,  perhaps, 
be  willing  to  accept." 

A  fortnight  or  so  after  his  uncle's  death,  Harvey 
was  summoned  to  a  formal  interview  with  Mr.  Legge 
and  the  above  codicil  was  communicated  to  him. 

"You  will  be  put  in  possession  of  the  estate  at 
once,"  said  the  executor.  "  As  to  the  other  provision, 
I  need  hardly  observe  that  it  is  my  desire  to  do  every 
thing  which  can  possibly  be  done,  to  carry  out  the 
wishes  of  my  late  partner — and  friend." 

There  was  actually  a  gleam  in  the  man's  eye  and 
a  tremble  in  his  voice  as  he  uttered  the  last  word ; 
and  Harvey  felt  more  kindly  towards  him  than  he 
had  ever  done  before.  Nevertheless,  he  merely  ex 
pressed  his  thanks  in  a  few  formal  phrases.  He  was 
hardly  prepared  to  discuss  his  future  with  William 
Legge. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

IMPERTINENT  QUESTIONS 

ONE  evening,  a  few  weeks  after  Mr.  Phelps's  death, 
Ethel  was  sitting  in  her  dressing-room,  listening  to 
Milly's  varied  talk.  The  two  were  now  as  constantly 
together  as  Milly's  duties  would  permit,  and  the  real 
tenderness  which  made  the  basis  of  her  nature,  under 
all  its  assumed  frivolity,  had  never  been  more  appar 
ent  than  in  the  tact  with  which  she  treated  her  friend 
during  this  period  of  grief  and  desolation.  For  Ethel 
was  terribly  desolate,  though  she  made  no  talk  about 
it,  and  no  show  of  it,  except  in  the  hollowness  of  her 
eyes  and  the  paleness  of  her  cheeks.  Her  father  had 
been  very  near  to  her.  They  had  never  exchanged 
words  of  affection,  never  complained  when  they  were 
separated,  nor  expressed  joy  when  they  met  again. 
But  they  had  understood  each  other.  Now  Ethel  felt 
herself  alone ;  and  for  the  time  it  seemed  to  her  almost 
impossible  to  rouse  herself  again  to  the  common 
affairs  and  activities  of  daily  life.  To  Milly's  keen, 
sympathetic  eye  there  was  a  heart-breaking  pathos 
in  the  quiet,  dejected  attitude  of  the  black  figure,  a 
pathos  immensely  heightened  by  the  warm  luxury  of 


IMPERTINENT   QUESTIONS       233 

the  surroundings,  the  dainty  room,  with  its  green  and 
white  furnishing  and  draperies,  the  score  of  perfect 
little  toilet  articles,  gold  and  silver  and  glass  and 
ivory.  With  the  gentlest  art  she  tried  to  draw  her 
friend's  attention  to  the  future,  to  more  normal  in 
terests,  to  other  possibilities  of  effort  and  affection. 

"  I  know,"  said  Ethel,  in  answer  to  some  of  these 
attempts.  "  There  is  plenty  to  live  for.  Aunt  Lucia 
needs  me.  And  then  I  know  well  enough  that  plea 
sant  things  will  be  pleasant  again  "  — 

"  And  Harvey  "  —  Milly  suggested. 

"Harvey?"  repeated  Ethel,  in  a  tone  so  colorless 
that  Milly  could  divine  nothing  from  it. 

"Yes,  Harvey.  Do  you  know,  dear,  I  can't  help 
still  hoping  that  the  day  may  come  when  your  name 
will  be  Phelps,  as  it  ought  to  be  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Ethel,  with  decision. 

"Why  not?  Do  you  mean  that  you  would  re 
fuse?" 

"  I  shall  never  be  asked." 

"But  if  you  should  be?" 

"  I  don't  think  the  question  is  quite  one  for  you  to 
put  to  me.  But  I  may  say  that  if  I  should  be,  so  far 
as  I  can  see  now,  my  answer  would  be  no." 

"  Ah,  but  you  don't  see  very  far  now." 

Ethel  made  no  comment  on  this,  and  did  not  seem 
disposed  to  be  communicative. 


234       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

Presently  Milly  remarked  in  a  somewhat  vague 
and  doubtful  tone  :  "  Do  you  know,  Ethel  —  I  have 
sometimes  wondered  —  whether  you  were  n't  getting 
fond  of  —  George  Kent  ?  " 

Ethel  certainly  colored  a  little,  but  whether  from 
self-consciousness  or  from  annoyance  it  would  have 
been  impossible  to  say.  "You  seem  to  be  in  a  mood 
to  ask  extraordinarily  impertinent  questions,"  she 
observed. 

"  Do  I  ?  "  was  the  inquiring  reply,  but  nothing  in 
Milly' s  manner  showed  any  disposition  to  apologize. 
"  George  Kent  is  such  a  good  fellow,"  she  went  on, 
"so  manly,  so  generous,  such  exceedingly  pleasant 
company.  Only  one  feels  sorry  for  Harvey  "  — 

But  Ethel  interrupted,  with  a  vivacity  which  she 
would  hardly  have  displayed  in  her  normal  condition  : 
"  Since  we  are  on  the  subject  of  investigating  other 
people's  feelings,  Milly,  my  dear,  perhaps  I  might 
tell  you  something  about  yours." 

"Ah?"  There  was  a  candor  in  Miss  Erskine's 
eyes,  more  genuine  than  she  sometimes  showed. 

"  Yes,  really,"  Ethel  continued.  "  I  am  dull ;  but  I 
can  see  a  thing  sometimes." 

"  And  what  is  the  wonderful  thing  you  have  seen  ?  " 

The  answer  was  a  trifle  indirect.  "  Perhaps  you 
have  occasionally  heard  me  express  a  wish  that  you 
might  become  Mrs.  Phelps.  I  used  to  wish  it,  as  one 


IMPERTINENT   QUESTIONS       235 

wishes  for  sleighing  in  August,  because  I  had  good 
reason  to  suppose  you  had  already  refused  the  honor. 
Well  —  now  —  I  have  a  notion  that  you  won't  refuse 
it,  when  it  comes  again." 

Milly  made  no  immediate  answer.  The  fire  at  that 
moment  called  for  attention,  and  she  took  upon 
herself  to  give  it,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  tell 
whether  the  glow  on  her  cheek  came  from  within  or 
without.  Ethel  sat  comfortably  in  her  chair,  with  just 
a  hint  of  the  smile  of  a  person  who  has  hit  back. 

When  Milly  had  returned  to  her  place,  she  leaned 
her  head  on  her  hand  and  said  thoughtfully  :  "  You 
mentioned  impertinent  questions,  did  n't  you  ?  " 

"  I  did." 

"  Perhaps  we  'd  better  stop  asking  them.  I  believe 
Shakespeare  remarks  somewhere  :  — 

" '  Who  seeks  and  will  not  take  when  once  't  is  offered, 
Shall  never  find  it  more.' " 

Whatever  might  be  Ethel's  real  feelings  towards 
Harvey,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  her  to  be 
dissatisfied  with  his  treatment  of  her  in  the  present 
crisis.  No  matter  how  many  other  engagements  he 
had,  he  never  let  a  day  pass  without  calling  at  the 
Phelps  mansion  and  exchanging  a  few  words  with 
his  aunt  and  cousin.  His  kindness  was  never  obtru 
sive  or  importunate  ;  yet  he  made  them  feel  that  if 
there  was  anything  in  the  world  that  could  be  done 


236       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

for  them,  he  was  there  to  do  it.  Ethel  was  deeply 
grateful  for  all  this ;  and  a  year  ago  she  would  have 
expressed  her  gratitude,  would  have  poured  out  to 
Harvey  something  of  her  sorrow,  something  of  her 
loneliness,  something  of  her  regret  that  so  much  of 
the  world's  goods  should  have  come  to  her  and  so 
little  to  him.  But  now  she  was  conscious  of  a  singu 
lar  restraint  in  her  intercourse  with  him,  of  a  curious 
and  vexatious  fear  of  being  misinterpreted. 

Once  only  did  she  force  herself  to  express  a  little, 
a  very  little,  of  what  she  felt.  "  Harvey,"  she  began, 
with  evident  effort,  "  I  want  so  much  to  say  some 
thing  to  you  about  all  these  wretched  money  mat 
ters." 

"  No,"  he  answered  with  infinite  gentleness.  "  Why 
should  you  vex  yourself?  There  is  nothing  to  be 
said." 

"  Oh,  but  there  is."  She  blushed  very  deeply  as 
she  spoke.  "  What  right  have  I  or  what  claim  — 
who  am  no  relation  of  papa's  whatever  —  to  so  much, 
when  you  should  have  had  it  all?  I  do  so  hope  you 
will  see  your  way  to  taking  advantage  of  what  papa 
arranged  —  at  the  last.  If  you  don't,  promise  me, 
Harvey,  promise  me  that  you  will  consider  what  is 
mine  as  yours"  —  she  blushed  more  deeply  still  — 
"  at  least,  that  you  will  come  to  me  for  anything  you 
really  need." 


IMPERTINENT   QUESTIONS      237 

He  was  hardly  ready  to  make  such  a  promise,  even 
to  please  her ;  and  he  had  to  tell  her  so ;  but  he  did 
it  so  gently  that  she  could  not  feel  hurt,  although  so 
firmly  that  she  could  press  the  matter  no  farther. 
After  that,  the  question  of  the  inheritance  was  no 
more  named  between  them. 

Milly's  method  of  expressing  her  sentiments  on  the 
matter  was  much  more  vivacious.  "  Mr.  Phelps,"  she 
said,  when  she  met  him  one  day  at  Ethel's,  "  I  can 
hardly  find  words  to  express  my  opinion  of  your 
folly." 

The  language  was  frank  almost  to  roughness  ;  but 
there  was  no  roughness  in  the  tone  with  which  it  was 
uttered.  "Indeed?"  answered  Harvey,  smiling. 

"  Yes,  indeed.  I  Jm  afraid  you  don't  know  what 
you  want  in  the  world,  and  that  is  the  one  thing  which 
is  foolish  above  all  others.  The  man  who  wants  good 
things  is  admirable.  The  man  who  wants  bad  things 
is  respectable,  if  he  wants  them  hard  enough  and  per 
sistently  enough  and  gives  his  life  to  it ;  but  the  man 
who  wants  first  this  thing  and  then  that  thing  and 
then  the  other  thing,  and  none  of  them  enough  to 
give  his  life  to  it  —  is  foolish.  Excuse  my  speaking 
harshly ;  but  I  have  a  certain  privilege,  you  know, 
and  I  do  it  for  your  good." 

She  was  ready  to  work  even  more  energetically 
for  his  good.  A  few  days  later  Kent  called  on  her, 


238        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

and  she  implored  him  to  use  all  his  influence  to  bring 
Harvey  to  a  more  rational  state  of  mind.  "  So  far  as 
Ethel  is  concerned,  I  'm  afraid  it 's  of  no  use,"  she 
said.  "Ethel  is  manageable  up  to  a  certain  point. 
At  that  point  she  stops.  I  hardly  believe  even  respect 
for  her  father's  wishes  would  make  her  marry  Harvey 
now.  Yet  she  likes  him.  If  he  would  only  make  an 
effort.  Do  urge  him  to  make  an  effort." 

Kent  laughed.  "You  say  Miss  Harper  is  man 
ageable  up  to  a  certain  point.  Harvey  isn't  —  by 
me." 

"  But  I  know  who  can  manage  him." 

"Ah?" 

"Yes,"  she  rejoined,  and  there  was  a  slight  hint 
of  irritation  in  the  sibilant.  Then  she  added  slowly, 
"  That  Diana  Newton.  How  do  they  get  their  power, 
Mr.  Kent,  those  little,  brown,  pale  women  ?  There  's 
nothing  to  look  at  in  her,  except  her  eyes.  How  they 
do  burn,  her  eyes.  Do  you  think  he  '11  marry  her  ?  " 

"  I  have  n't  heard  anything  of  it." 

"You  wouldn't.  Men  never  ask  each  other's 
secrets." 

"And  women  are  so  ready  to  tell  theirs." 

Milly  thought  of  her  little  talk  with  Ethel,  but  she 
didn't  allow  that  thought  to  distract  her  from  the 
subject  in  hand.  "  Miss  Newton  is  your  cousin,  Mr. 
Kent,"  she  said.  "  Now  why  don't  you  see  her  and 


IMPERTINENT   QUESTIONS      239 

reason  with  her?  Ask  her  if  she  is  ready  to  allow 
Harvey  to  give  up  a  fortune  and  a  career  just  for  her. 
Or,  no,  she  '11  say  he 's  doing  it  for  duty,  not  for  her. 
Point  out  to  her  that  nobody  will  ever  be  sure  of  the 
fact.  Let  her  stand  out  of  the  way,  and  let  him  do  it 
just  for  pure,  bare  duty.  That  will  be  so  grand  —  it 
ought  to  appeal  to  her  imagination.  I  wish  I  could 
put  it  to  her  myself." 

"Why  don't  you?"  suggested  Kent  serenely. 

"Because  —  because" —  Any  one  who  did  not 
know  Milly  would  have  said  she  was  embarrassed. 

"I'll  tell  you  the  because,"  said  the  gentleman. 
"  You  're  jealous  of  Miss  Newton  and  afraid  of  show- 
ing  it." 

"  You  would  never  have  guessed  that  if  it  were  n't 
for  a  little  talk  we  had  once,"  remarked  the  lady,  with 
some  sharpness. 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  should." 

"  It  appears  that  everybody  is  getting  to  think 
they  can  read  my  feelings.  Never  mind.  He  must  n't 
marry  her,  Mr.  Kent." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Don't  be  stupid.  Is  he  fit  for  that  sort  of  life  ? 
She  would  lead  him  like  a  bull  with  a  ring  in  his  nose 
at  a  fair.  She  would  put  great  weights  —  of  ideals  — 
on  his  shoulders,  and  make  him  tug  and  labor  at  the 
foundations  of  her  castles  in  Spain.  He  would  puff 


24o        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

his  poor,  patient  sides,  and  toil  after  her,  and  every 
body  would  applaud  her  and  say,  '  What  a  noble  ani 
mal  you  have  there,  and  how  obedient.'  He  must  n't 
marry  her." 

"In  other  words,"  Kent  answered,  still  serene, 
"  somebody  else  wants  the  noble,  patient  animal,  and 
the  glory  of  him." 

"Not  for  building  castles  in  Spain,  at  any  rate. 
Mr.  Kent,  you  know  what  I  mean.  Will  you  do  it  ?" 

"Oh,  yes,  I  know  what  you  mean,  and  I've 
thought  of  trying  it  myself.  But  see,  you  want  me  to 
manage  two  of  the  most  unmanageable  people  in  the 
world,  two  reasonable  people.  Unreasonable  people 
you  can  manage,  by  supplying  them  with  what  they 
have  n't.  Reasonable  people,  who  do  their  own  rea 
soning,  you  can't.  There's  another  thing  strikes 
me,"  he  added,  after  a  little  pause.  "  You  assume  that 
Diana  will  jump  at  the  chance.  I  am  not  sure  of  it 
yet,  and  that 's  why  I  've  hesitated.  Will  any  woman 
marry  Harvey,  if  he  asks  her?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Milly,  "  after  she  gets  to  know  him." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  he 's  strong  and  brave  and  gentle  and 
wise  and  never  thinks  of  himself." 

Kent  was  absorbed,  for  a  moment,  in  mock  reflec 
tion.  "  I  wish  I  were  strong  and  brave  and  gentle  and 
wise  and  not  inclined  to  think  of  myself  first  and  fore- 


IMPERTINENT   QUESTIONS       241 

most,  as  I  am.  Then  perhaps  all  the  women  would 
like  me." 

Milly  took  her  turn  at  the  mock  reflection  now. 
"  Possibly  one  woman  may  like  you,  Mr.  Kent  —  not 
I.  Oh,  no,  not  I.  Her  liking  would  be  worth  having, 
too,  and  I  don't  know  why  you  should  n't  have  it,  if 
others  don't  appreciate  it." 

When  Kent  was  alone,  he  gave  a  few  moments  to 
real  reflection. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  PERSONAL  ELEMENT 

KENT  thought  the  matter  over  for  a  day,  and  de 
cided  that  it  might  not  be  unserviceable  to  talk  to 
Diana  on  the  lines  Milly  had  suggested,  and  would 
certainly  be  amusing.  Therefore  he  called  the  next 
evening  in  Newbury  Street,  exchanged  a  few  words 
with  Miss  Whitcomb,  and  then  got  Diana  to  himself. 

At  first  they  talked  about  each  other's  occupations, 
Kent  with  much  curiosity,  she  with  little,  and  some 
disgust.  "George,"  she  said,  "  with  your  gifts,  I  hoped 
better  things  of  you.  After  all,  these  newspaper  an 
tics  do  seem  so  much  like  a  clown  in  a  circus." 

He  was  charmed  with  this  view  of  the  case,  as 
may  easily  be  imagined.  "  My  gifts,"  he  answered, 
"  you  overrate  them.  I  have  none  but  a  weak  stom 
ach  and  a  vicious  determination  to  get  ahead  in  the 
world.  My  journalistic  antics  —  they  are  not  mine, 
but  those  of  humanity  in  general  and  the  idealists  in 
particular.  I  merely  record  them." 

Diana  sighed.  "  I  don't  complain  of  those  who  are 
born  dull  or  material.  But  you  were  made  for  some 
thing  better  than  your  present  way  of  life." 


THE   PERSONAL   ELEMENT      243 

"  I  was.   And  I  mean  to  get  it." 

Then,  very  naturally,  they  began  to  talk  of  Har 
vey. 

"  Now  there 's  a  person,"  Diana  remarked,  "  who 
has  given  up  of  his  own  accord  just  the  things  you 
are  striving  for." 

"  Given  them  up  for  what  ?  "  said  George. 

"  For  something  nobler,  and  better,  and  more  ideal." 

"  H'm,"  said  George. 

"H'm?  I  suppose  his  is  a  case  of  the  antics  that 
afford  you  copy  ?  " 

"  Rather." 

"  Oh,  George,  don't  laugh  at  him,"  went  on  the 
young  apostle,  with  enthusiasm.  "Think  what  it 
means.  After  all,  money  is  so  much,  especially  when 
one  has  been  all  one's  life  accustomed  to  it.  Those 
of  us  who  are  n't  tempted  may  be  very  comfortable 
about  it ;  but  what  would  you  do  "  — 

"  Oh !"  was  the  protesting  and  unheeded  interrup 
tion. 

"What  should  I  do  if  I  had  such  a  decision  to 
make  ?  Just  think,  he  might  marry  Miss  Harper,  who 
is  a  very  lovely  girl,  he  might  add  millions  to  millions, 
he  might  give  away  so  much  and  enjoy  so  much  ; 
and  he  abandons  it  all  for  a  principle"  — 

"And  a  pair  of  brown  eyes,"  suggested  Kent,  who 
had  listened  to  this  rhapsody  in  a  very  comfortable 


244       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

posture,  leaning  back  in  his  chair,  with  his  finger-tips 
twiddling  against  each  other. 

He  might  just  as  well  have  thrown  a  glass  of  cold 
water  into  Diana's  face.  "  What  ?  "  she  gasped. 

"A  pair  of  brown  eyes,"  he  said.  "  You  own  them." 

"  George,  George,"  her  voice  was  full  of  tears. 
"  Have  your  journalistic  antics  made  you  so  low,  so 
mean  in  your  estimate  of  human  motives,  that  you 
can't  find  anything  in  them  but  a  selfish,  personal 
element  ?  " 

"  When  it 's  a  question  of  Harvey  and  girls,  the 
selfish,  personal  element  is  the  one  to  look  for."  He 
saw  that  every  word  was  a  stab  to  her,  and  he  had 
less  affection  than  ever  for  the  r61e  of  philanthropist 
which  he  considered  himself  to  be,  at  that  moment, 
playing. 

"  But  I  'm  not  a  girl,"  she  urged,  pleading  passion 
ately. 

"  Ah  ?  "  was  Kent's  cool  interjection. 

"My  life  is  purely  impersonal,  abstract.  These 
things  don't  enter  into  it.  You  know  they  don't.  I  'm 
not  the  sort  of  person  any  one  would  fall  in  love 
with." 

"  I  'm  by  no  means  sure  of  that."  The  tone  and 
the  look  that  went  with  his  remark  put  a  color  into 
her  cheeks  which  made  him  even  less  sure  of  it  than 
he  might  have  been  before. 


THE   PERSONAL   ELEMENT      245 

"  George,"  she  protested,  "  how  horrid  you  are. 
I've  flattered  myself,  with  my  foolish  vanity,  that  I 
was  really  helping  Mr.  Phelps,  really  giving  him  a 
little  light  in  the  solving  of  his  problem.  Now  you've 
spoilt  it  all.  How  can  I  ever  see  him  with  any  comfort 
again  ?  " 

"It  is  wonderful  what  vanity  will  do  for  us  some 
times,"  said  Kent,  still  coldly  playing  his  r61e.  But 
in  his  heart  he  was  sick  of  it  and  pondered,  with  in 
finite  disgust,  on  the  annoyance  which  Harvey's  su- 
persensitive  conscience  had  caused  not  only  himself 
but  everybody  connected  with  him. 

With  this  interview  in  mind,  it  will  not  be  sup 
posed  that  Diana  felt  perfectly  at  ease,  when  Harvey 
called  upon  her  a  few  days  later.  He  himself  had 
no  misgivings  and  no  discomfort.  He  was  begin 
ning  to  care  for  her  very  much,  and  knew  he  was. 
Why  should  he  not  ?  But  his  caring  for  her  was  of  a 
different  order  from  what  he  had  felt  for  Milly  or  for 
any  other  woman.  The  others  had  distracted  him 
from  the  deeper  issues  of  his  life.  She  was  identified 
with  all  of  them.  When  he  was  with  her,  he  did  not 
think  of  himself,  he  was  absorbed  in  the  higher  effort 
and  interest  which  she  represented.  With  all  the 
others,  the  first  thought  was,  could  they  care  for  him. 
With  Diana,  it  would  be  sweet  if  she  too  cared.  Oh, 
how  sweet.  But  her  charm,  her  influence,  her  power, 


246        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

would  be  just  the  same,  if  she  did  not  care  at  all.  He 
would  live  his  life  out  as  she  bade  him,  do  the  tasks 
she  set  him,  with  no  other  reward  than  her  cold  ap 
proval  and  the  inward  sense  of  satisfaction  with  him 
self.  It  was  thus  that  during  the  last  month  he  had 
leaned  more  and  more  upon  her  guidance  and  sug 
gestions,  had  devoted  himself  to  reading  the  books 
she  recommended,  had  visited  and  studied  and  of 
fered  his  assistance  in  various  charities  which  inter 
ested  her.  Now,  after  a  brief  interval,  he  came  again 
for  more  advice  and  sympathy  ;  but  her  mood  was 
very  far  from  being  attuned  to  his,  and  his  innocent 
enthusiasm  filled  her  with  annoyance  and  irritation, 
though  she  made  every  effort  to  control  these  feel 
ings  and  at  first  successfully. 

When  they  had  discussed  his  reading  and  his  oc 
cupations  for  the  past  week  or  ten  days,  and  Diana 
had  expressed  all  the  interest  she  could,  the  talk 
drifted  to  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Phelps's  affairs,  which 
had  not  been  definitely  known  when  they  last  met. 

"  And  he  did  not  leave  you  anything  —  anything 
at  all  ?  "  Diana  asked. 

"He  left  me  the  place  atWoodsley  —  where  he 
was  born  —  and  my  father  —  my  grandfather's  — 
a  little,  simple,  country  place  —  I  am  very  glad  to 
have  it." 

"  Of  course  you  are."   For  the  moment,  Diana  for- 


THE   PERSONAL   ELEMENT      247 

got  Kent's  insinuations,  in  the  ardor  of  her  sym 
pathy. 

"  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Phelps,  after  all,  you  have 
done  a  very  heroic  thing." 

"  Quixotic,"  he  suggested. 

"  No,  no,  no ;  heroic.  It  is  what  all  of  us,  who  feel 
as  you  feel,  think  we  should  have  done  ;  but  should 
we  ?  Money  is  such  a  great,  comfortable  possession, 
and  one  can  find  so  much  excuse  for  one's  self  in  its 
power  of  doing  good.  I  hope  I  should  have  done 
as  you  have ;  I  hope  so." 

"  Of  course  you  would,"  was  the  earnest  answer. 
"  For  you  are  sure,  while  I  am  so  doubting  and  so 
uncertain  ;  or  was,  till  I  knew  you." 

She  did  not  relish  this  personal  turn  at  all,  and  she 
met  it  with  another.  "  If  your  doubt  and  uncertainty 
continue,  there  is  still  a  loophole  open,  isn't  there?" 

He  looked  at  her  for  a  second,  surprised  at  her 
tone,  and  not  quite  following  her  meaning.  "  A  loop 
hole  ?  You  mean  the  clause  which  provides  for  my 
being  taken  into  the  firm,  if  I  should  wish  it?" 

"  I  meant  Miss  Harper,"  she  said  slowly. 

"  Oh,"  his  answer  came  more  slowly  still,  "  There 
can  be  nothing  between  Miss  Harper  and  me.  Only 
it  was  unfortunate  that  my  uncle  should  have  com 
plicated  an  abstract  question  with  personal  feelings." 

"  Most  unfortunate,"  she  cried  in   hearty  agree- 


248        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

ment.  "Personal  feeling  should  not  be  allowed  to 
enter  into  such  questions  at  all." 

But  her  eagerness  had  carried  her  too  far.  After 
all,  it  was  better  that  she  should  know  him  as  he  was, 
should  see  that  everything  must  be  personal  between 
him  and  her.  And  a  strange  impulse  seized  him  to 
reveal  to  her  that  though  she  had  won  him  by  spir 
itual  weapons,  she  had  won  him  wholly  for  herself. 

"Fortunately,  or  unfortunately,"  he  began,  with 
tumultuous  speech  that  gave  his  words  a  triple  mean 
ing,  "we  are  human,  we  can't  be  abstract.  There 
will  be  personal  motives.  Miss  Newton,  from  the 
very  first  time  when  we  met  so  strangely,  you  have 
personified  for  me  —  it  is  you  whom  I "  — 

Her  eager  eyes  and  clasped  hands  broke  his  sen 
tence  in  the  middle.  "  Oh,  Mr.  Phelps,  leave  me  my 
belief  in  you.  Leave  me  my  love  and  admiration  for 
your  great  sacrifice,  —  those  are  the  devotions  I  can 
understand,  you  know  —  the  others  seem  to  me  —  I 
—  I  don't  care  for  them.  Be  a  hero  right  through  to 
the  end.  Let  it  all  be  heroic.  We  will  never  refer  to 
this  again,  will  we  ?  " 

He  said  nothing,  tried  to  fall  back  upon  his  old 
conclusion  that  he  loved  her  for  her  ideals,  desired 
nothing  more,  if  she  would  give  him  those,  tried  — 
and  succeeded.  Yet,  now  that  it  was  evident  that  she 
cared  nothing  for  him,  never  could,  that  she  lived 


THE   PERSONAL   ELEMENT      249 

high  up  in  the  region  of  the  saints,  where  the  air  was 
always  clear  and  always  cold,  the  ideals,  even  hers, 
seemed,  for  the  moment,  a  little  less  satisfying.  Yet 
they  were  hers,  they  should  be  his,  they  always  had 
been  his,  as  he  had  learned  them  from  Marcus,  before 
he  thought  of  her  at  all. 

Then,  to  break  the  silence,  he  changed  the  subject 
abruptly,  and  talked  to  her  of  Marcus.  They  had 
often  discussed  him  before,  and  Diana  had  expressed 
a  great  desire  to  meet  him. 

"  I  shall  soon  be  able  to  introduce  to  you  my  friend, 
Upham,"  Harvey  said. 

She  welcomed  the  new  topic  with  eagerness.  "  He 
will  be  in  Boston  for  a  time,  then?" 

"  For  a  long  time,  I  hope.  That  is,  at  Glendale, 
only  twenty  minutes'  ride  out.  He  was  in  town  yes 
terday  and  I  saw  him  for  a  moment.  He  has  been 
called  to  a  little  new  church  there.  I  am  very 
glad." 

"  So  am  I.   You  will  see  him  often,  won't  you  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so.  He  has  been  more  to  me  than  almost 
any  other  person  in  the  world."  There  was  a  light 
stress  on  "  almost,"  which  she  did  not  appear  to 
notice. 

"  Tell  me  more  about  it,"  she  said. 

Then  Harvey,  in  such  broken  phrases  as  he  was 
apt  to  use,  gave  her  quietly  some  account  of  his  first 


250       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

acquaintance  with  Upham  and  how  that  subtle  spir 
itual  influence  had  worked  its  way  into  his  life,  which 
up  to  that  time  had  been  mainly  muscle  and  sinew. 

"But  his  influence  must  have  been  almost  alto 
gether  religious,  I  suppose,"  she  suggested,  "not 
philanthropic  merely?" 

Harvey  nodded. 

"  And  ?  "  she  continued. 

"  I  never  went  the  full  length,"  he  murmured,  meet 
ing  her  thought.  "  I  could  n't." 

"  Ah,  but  you  will."  Then,  after  a  little  pause,  she 
asked  again  :  "  Has  Mr.  Upham  advised  you  during 
the  last  year  ?  Does  he  approve  of  your  course  ?  " 

Harvey  hesitated  before  answering.  "  Yes  and  no," 
he  said.  "He  would  approve  of  it  if  it  were  any  one 
else,  I  think.  As  it  is,  he  mistrusts  me,  feels  that  I 
am  earthly,  and  not  capable,  for  long,  of  these  high 
flights.  I  dare  say  he  is  right.  It  must  be  pleasant 
to  be  born  all  one  thing  or  all  the  other." 

"  Oh,"  burst  out  Diana,  with  most  eager  sympa 
thy,  "  none  of  us  is  born  all  one  thing,  or  all  the 
other ;  none,  none,  not  one."  Then  the  fear  of  mis 
interpretation  paralyzed  her,  and  he  saw  that  it  did. 
"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  meet  Mr.  Upham,"  she  con 
cluded  quietly,  a  little  coldly. 

Harvey,  as  he  walked  home  under  the  stars,  re 
peated  to  himself  again  and  again  :  "  None  of  us  is 


THE    PERSONAL   ELEMENT      251 

born  all  one  thing,  or  all  the  other ;  none,  none,  not 
one."  Nevertheless,  he  felt  bitterly  convinced  that 
Diana  was  born  all  for  Heaven,  or,  at  any  rate,  she 
was  not  born  for  him. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

DIANA  AND  MARCUS 

MARCUS  arrived  and  Harvey  was  delighted.  They 
had  not  written  to  each  other ;  but  as  soon  as  they  met 
the  bond  between  them  seemed  to  be  drawn  closer 
than  ever.  Harvey  found,  or  imagined  that  he  found, 
his  friend  gentler  and  a  trifle  less  uncompromising 
than  formerly  ;  and  Marcus  felt  that  the  spiritual  flame 
in  Harvey,  instead  of  being  dimmed  by  his  winter's 
contact  with  the  world,  burned  with  a  clearer  and, 
above  all,  with  a  steadier  light. 

Harvey  went  to  the  first  evening  service  held  by 
the  new  rector.  The  church  was  a  small,  insignifi 
cant  building,  in  a  quiet  corner,  under  old  elms  and 
maples.  The  organ  was  small  and  the  choir  small 
and  as  yet  untrained  ;  yet  something  in  the  air  of  the 
place,  or  in  Marcus's  voice,  perhaps,  brought  Har 
vey  feelings  which  he  had  not  known  in  the  great 
city  churches,  where  he  had  been  all  winter.  Peace 
came  upon  him,  for  the  moment,  at  any  rate  ;  no 
definite  attitude  of  mind,  no  simple  solution  of  his 
troubles,  just  a  broad  and  blessed  sense  of  peace,  dif- 


DIANA   AND    MARCUS  253 

fused  from  the  dim  altar,  from  the  quiet  responses  of 
the  worshippers,  from  Marcus  standing  there  in  the 
tranquil  halo  of  his  sacred  office.  Ethel  and  Milly 
were  forgotten,  even  Kent's  clear,  good-natured 
mockery.  Yes,  even  Diana's  earnest  eyes  faded, 
faded  in  that  soft,  white,  enfolding  atmosphere  of 
peace. 

Afterwards,  in  Marcus's  study,  where  books  and 
furniture  were  tumbled  about,  not  yet  reduced,  under 
the  old  housekeeper's  hands,  to  any  semblance  of 
order,  the  friends  had  a  long,  quiet,  pleasant  talk. 
Harvey  explained,  in  a  calm  voice,  the  circumstances 
of  his  uncle's  will. 

"  And  he  left  you  nothing,  then,  except  the  place 
at  Woodsley,  nothing  at  all  ?  "  asked  Marcus,  just  as 
Diana  had  done. 

"  Nothing  else.    Why  should  he  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not.  Yet  it  was  a  great  deal  to  give 
up." 

Harvey  laughed.  "  You  must  either  be  very  insin 
cere  or  else  have  a  very  poor  opinion  of  me." 

"  No,"  said  the  minister,  still  absorbed  in  thought. 
"  I  hope  I  am  sincere.  You  know  what  my  opinion 
of  you  has  always  been.  But  most  people  would  have 
found  some  way  to  accept  so  many  millions.  There 
are  subterfuges,  you  know." 

"  I  suppose  so  ;  but  I  was  never  ingenious."   Har- 


254        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

vey  smiled  as  he  made  the  remark.  It  was  agreeable 
to  be  there,  on  the  same  old  sofa,  and  to  watch  Mar 
cus  sitting  in  the  same  old  swivel-chair,  quiet  as  ever, 
his  hands  pressed  together  at  the  finger-tips. 

"  And  you  don't  regret  it  all  ?  "  asked  Marcus,  at 
length,  somewhat  abruptly. 

Harvey's  smile  faded,  though  his  expression  was 
only  sober,  not  sad.  "  I  don't  regret  it  for  a  moment, 
if  I  'm  doing  the  right  thing.  I  'm  not  quite  sure  yet, 
you  know." 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  " 

"  Well,  very  little  at  present."  Then  he  gave  his 
friend  an  account  of  his  pursuits  during  the  last  month 
or  two  ;  but  the  account  was  not  lucid,  as  he  made 
no  mention  of  Diana,  and  Marcus's  keen  ear  detected 
the  omission.  It  was  hardly  likely  that  Harvey  should 
be  studying  these  different  charities  purely  on  his  own 
initiative  ;  possible,  but  not  likely. 

"What  led  you  into  all  these  things?"  was  the 
question  that  had  to  be  met,  when  the  narration  was 
ended. 

Harvey  met  it  with  his  usual  frankness  and  quiet 
sense  of  the  humor  of  his  own  conduct.  "  A  young 
woman." 

"Ah  ?  "  Marcus's  eye  gleamed  perfect  appreciation 
of  the  candor  of  the  answer,  though  his  tone  showed 
a  trifle  of  annoyance. 


DIANA  AND    MARCUS  255 

"  If  you  can  call  her  such,"  Harvey  went  on,  his 
memory  tingling  with  the  smart  of  that  last  inter 
view.  "  But  not  a  young  woman  of  flesh  and  blood  ; 
a  saint,  a  statue,  so  you  need  n't  be  in  the  least  con 
cerned  about  sentimental  complications."  Then  he 
gave  his  friend  a  full  account  of  his  acquaintance 
with  Diana,  including  the  meeting  at  the  O'Briens', 
the  interview  with  his  uncle,  and  all  the  rest. 

Marcus  listened  intently,  hardly  moving,  a  warm 
light  in  his  eyes,  his  fingers  occasionally  pressing 
more  tightly  against  each  other.  Now  and  then  he 
asked  a  question. 

When  the  story  was  finished,  he  said  :  "  She  must 
be  a  remarkable  person,  Miss  Newton." 

"  She  is." 

Marcus's  suspicions  were  again  aroused  by  the 
warmth  of  tone  in  this  speech.  "She  must  have 
meant  a  great  deal  in  your  life,"  he  went  on. 

"  Yes,  she  has  and  does  and  will.  I  revere  her  — 
as  I  do  you." 

"Nothing  more?" 

"Anything  more  —  anything  else — would  be  in 
compatible  with  her  nature.  I  told  you  she  is  n't  flesh 
and  blood.  I  want  you  to  meet  her,  Marc." 

Marc  signified  that  social  meetings  with  young 
women,  even  those  who  were  not  flesh  and  blood, 
were  something  totally  foreign  to  the  reserve  of  his 


256        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

disposition  and  the  seriousness  of  his  calling.  Then 
he  turned  to  some  further  discussion  of  the  various 
interests  with  which  his  friend  was  busying  himself. 
But  Harvey  was  set  upon  his  object ;  and  when  he 
had  got  Marcus  thoroughly  interested  in  the  working 
of  a  new  plan  for  improved  and  modern  tenements, 
so  that  he  expressed  an  extreme  desire  to  investigate 
it  further,  this  young  man,  who  had  a  little  while  ago 
modestly  disclaimed  all  ingenuity,  ventured  to  sug 
gest  that  his  own  knowledge  of  the  matter  was 
painfully  limited,  but  that  a  visit  to  Miss  Newton 
would  certainly  clarify  everything. 

Marcus  laughed  his  quick,  sunny  laugh,  which  was 
all  the  sunnier  for  its  rarity.  "  By  all  means  let  us 
visit  Miss  Newton." 

Two  or  three  evenings  later  they  did  call  on  Diana. 
Harvey  performed  the  introduction  with  the  pleasure 
one  feels  in  bringing  two  people  one  esteems  into 
contact  with  one  another.  He  hoped  they  would  be 
friends  in  time,  with  his  assistance  ;  but  he  had  per 
formed  enough  of  such  introductions  to  know  that 
they  are  apt  to  be  unsatisfactory,  and  he  hardly  ex 
pected  that  the  first  meeting  would  lead  to  anything 
more  than  the  establishment  of  semi-cordial  relations. 
Well,  he  was  disappointed.  Perhaps  it  was  because 
his  two  friends  were  neither  of  them  flesh  and  blood  ; 
but  they  took  to  each  other  with  astonishing  rapidity. 


DIANA   AND    MARCUS  257 

Harvey  had  time  to  introduce  modernized  tenements 
as  a  topic  of  common  interest.  That  was  all.  Before 
they  had  exhausted  that  subject,  a  dozen  others  sug 
gested  themselves.  Had  Mr.  Upham  seen  this  and 
that  and  the  other  ?  He  had  seen  this  and  that,  but 
not  the  other.  She  would  like  so  much  to  show  it  to 
him  and  have  his  judgment  on  it,  in  comparison  with 
this  and  that.  An  appointment  for  the  purpose  of 
such  inspection  was  made  at  once  ;  and  other  inspec 
tions  were  hinted  at  which  carried  with  them  limit 
less  possibilities  of  appointments  in  the  future.  It 
was  all  absolutely  impersonal  and  in  a  region  wholly 
foreign  to  considerations  of  flesh  and  blood  ;  but  poor 
Harvey,  sitting  quiet  on  one  side  and  only  included 
in  the  talk  by  a  courtesy  which  made  him  seem  pe 
culiarly  out  of  it,  felt  that  he  had  succeeded  almost 
too  well.  As  he  walked  home,  after  parting  from 
Marcus,  he  foresaw,  in  dim  apocalyptic  vision,  a  pos 
sible  approximation  of  his  two  friends,  which  had 
never  entered  his  head  until  that  evening,  and  which 
would  leave  poor  him,  Harvey,  weak  flesh  and  blood 
as  he  was,  all  a-quiver  and  a-tremble  out  in  the  win 
try  cold.  But  would  it  not  be  a  beautiful  and  suitable 
thing?  Could  there  be  a  perfecter  match,  a  fitter 
union,  one  that  would  be  more  useful  to  the  world 
and  more  delightful  in  itself  ?  Was  he  not  bound  to 
help  it  on  by  every  means  that  in  him  lay  ?  Perhaps 


258        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

so.  But  he  sighed  a  little,  as  he  thought  of  it,  and 
reflected  that  if  the  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard, 
that  of  the  would-be  righteous  is  not  always  easy. 

For  some  time  after  this  he  kept  away  from  Diana. 
He  saw  Marcus  often,  however,  and  gathered  that 
they  two  were  working  in  common,  as  if  they  had 
known  each  other  all  their  lives. 

At  length  Marcus  asked  one  day,  "  Why  don't  you 
go  and  see  Miss  Newton?  She  was  wondering  last 
night  what  had  become  of  you." 

Wondering  what  had  become  of  him  ?  He  doubted 
that.  It  was  hardly  likely,  with  all  the  dependents 
she  had  on  her  hands,  that  she  should  wonder  what 
had  become  of  him.  Yet,  no.  That  was  unjust.  Her 
heart  had  room  for  him  and  for  a  thousand  others, 
and  he  was  glad  enough  to  have  a  place  there,  even 
among  a  thousand.  Above  all,  he  was  anxious  not 
to  show  the  slightest  pique  or  petty  soreness.  If  she 
could  not  care  for  him,  except  as  an  object  of  charity, 
nay,  even  if  she  could  care  for  some  one  else,  he  would 
be  large  enough  to  appreciate  her,  and  admire  her, 
yes,  and  love  her,  as  she  would  wish  to  be  loved. 

Thus  he  found  himself  waiting  in  Miss  Whitcomb's 
parlor  the  second  evening  after  Marcus  had  made 
the  above  observation.  In  a  moment  or  two  Diana 
appeared,  dressed  a  little  more  elaborately  than  usual, 
in  a  soft,  dark  blue  gown,  with  much  lace  at  the  neck 


DIANA   AND    MARCUS  259 

and  sleeves.  She  had  never  looked  lovelier,  Harvey 
thought,  never  more  ethereal  and  spiritual,  more  out 
of  his  common  world. 

She  was  kind  and  cordial,  as  always,  but  she  ex 
pressed  no  wonder  in  regard  to  his  absence,  whatever 
she  may  have  said  to  Marcus. 

"  I  must  thank  you  for  bringing  Mr.  Upham  to  us/' 
she  began,  almost  at  once. 

"  He  would  have  found  you,  before  long,  anyway. 
If  there  is  something  good  to  be  done,  he  is  gener 
ally  in  it,  sooner  or  later." 

"  Perhaps  so.    But  you  helped." 

"  I  like  to  help,"  Harvey  answered  simply. 

"  I  know  it.  And  you  do  help,"  was  her  comment, 
simple  also. 

"Marc  is  a  good  fellow,  is  n't  he?"  Harvey  went 
on,  partly  with  genuine  desire  to  praise  his  friend, 
partly  for  the  bitter-sweet  pleasure  of  hearing  her 
praise  him. 

"  He  is  exceptional,  I  think,"  she  replied,  with 
warmth.  "  There  are  a  great  many  people,  a  great 
many  ministers,  who  want  to  do  the  right  thing ;  but 
they  don't  know  how.  He  does.  He  knows  just  what 
to  say  and  when  to  say  it,  and  when  to  keep  still, 
which  is  best  of  all ;  something  I  've  never  learned  — 
because  I  'm  a  woman,  I  suppose.  He  has  the  power 
of  winning  people.  Even  in  these  few  weeks  I  've  seen 


26o       BETWEEN  TWO   MASTERS 

that.  Oh,  Mr.  Phelps,  that  is  the  rarest  thing.  You 
can  command  people,  you  can  buy  people,  you  can 
persuade  people  intellectually ;  but  to  win  people,  to 
make  them  yours,  so  that  they  feel  with  you  —  that 
is  what  does  good.  And  his  ideas  about  life  are  so 
true  and  deep.  He  is  working  for  a  new  world,  with 
out  the  silly  distinctions  of  society  or  the  greed  of 
riches ;  but  he  is  so  moderate  and  tactful  in  doing  it." 

"  I  am  glad,  so  glad  you  like  him."  His  tone  was 
earnest  and  hearty,  because  his  feeling  was  ;  and  he 
did  not  see  how  she  could  detect  any  trace  of  thought 
of  self  or  dissatisfaction. 

Nevertheless,  as  soon  as  he  had  spoken,  she 
changed  the  subject,  and  said,  with  an  unusual  soft 
ness  :  "  And  you  —  tell  me  about  yourself  and  what 
you  have  been  doing  all  this  time." 

There  was  neither  undue  eagerness  nor  false  re 
serve  in  the  natural  account  he  gave  her  of  his  own 
affairs.  He  had  become  very  much  interested  in  the 
country  hospital,  he  said.  This  was  something  newly 
started,  to  which  she  had  first  introduced  him,  a  plan 
for  finding  suitable  boarding-places  in  the  country 
for  poor  patients  who  had  been  dismissed  from  the 
hospitals,  cured  of  their  complaints,  but  not  strong 
enough  to  work,  needing  country  air  and  quiet,  for 
a  time,  before  they  could  resume  their  ordinary  pur 
suits.  He  had  offered  his  services  to  the  managers  of 


DIANA  AND    MARCUS  261 

the  affair  and  they  seemed  likely  to  provide  him 
with  ample  occupation  in  visiting  possible  quarters, 
making  financial  arrangements,  etc.  This  sort  of 
thing  might,  he  thought,  perhaps  be  within  his 
abilities,  a  chance,  at  any  rate,  for  making  himself 
useful. 

She  was  enthusiastic  at  once.  "Of  course  it  is 
within  your  ability.  You  underrate  your  abilities. 
But  this  is  something  really  worthy  of  them,  a  noble, 
beautiful  thing  to  do.  Oh,  so  much  better  than  fight 
ing  for  gold  down  in  State  Street." 

The  warmth  of  her  words  was  sunshine  to  him,  and 
he  was  basking  in  it  luxuriously,  when  Marcus  was 
ushered  into  the  room.  Did  he  wish  to  see  Marcus 
just  then?  Of  course  he  did,  he  always  wished  to  see 
Marcus.  There  should  not  be  one  moment  of  petty 
jealousy  to  mar  the  beauty  of  his  intercourse  with 
these  two  whom  he  loved  better  than  anything  else 
in  the  world. 

"  I  want  to  ask  you  about  those  people  who  own 
that  tenement  we  were  speaking  of  the  other  day, 
Miss  Newton,"  Marcus  began,  after  shaking  hands 
with  his  friend.  "  You  know  I  promised  to  see  them 
and  look  into  matters.  I  want  to  get  all  the  facts  from 
you  first." 

The  facts  were  complicated  and  required  a  good 
deal  of  research  into  papers,  memoranda,  and  records 


262        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

of  one  kind  and  another,  which  Diana  produced,  as 
they  were  needed,  and  explained  with  extraordinary 
logic  and  lucidity.  Harvey  enjoyed  listening  for  a 
time ;  but  the  feeling  of  being  distinctly  outside  was 
strong  upon  him,  and  he  finally  made  up  his  mind  to 
take  his  leave. 

" Don't  go,"  urged  Diana.  "We've  been  rude, 
I  'm  afraid."  And  Marcus  added  :  "  I  did  n't  come  to 
spoil  your  call." 

"  Nonsense,"  returned  Harvey,  without  a  shade  of 
apparent  soreness.  "  I  made  my  call  before  you  came. 
Really,  I  must  stop  at  Ethel's  before  I  go  home,  and 
they  won't  be  up  if  I  don't  get  there  soon.  Ethel  goes 
into  training  about  this  time." 

Then  he  took  himself  off,  and  the  others  were  again 
immersed  in  details  of  tenement  accommodation, 
ventilation,  sanitation,  over-habitation,  and  other 
ations  without  end  or  limit. 

When  they  at  last  emerged,  they  said  a  few  words 
about  Harvey.  "I  am  so  glad  he  has  taken  hold  of 
this  country  hospital  work,"  remarked  Diana.  "  I 
think  it  will  just  suit  him." 

"  If  he  finds  what  really  suits  him,  he  will  do  won 
ders,"  added  Marcus.  "  I  don't  know  whether  you 
know  him  as  well  as  I  do,  Miss  Newton.  If  you  do, 
you  know  that  he  is  a  man  and  a  true  and  noble 


DIANA   AND    MARCUS  263 

She  nodded.  "  Did  you  —  were  you  able  —  to  ad 
vise  him  —  in  his  difficulty?"  she  went  on. 

"  No,"  he  answered  slowly,  "  I  could  n't.  I  could  n't 
take  the  responsibility.  It  is  a  great  deal  to  refuse 
millions,  with  all  they  mean,  of  good  as  well  as  evil, 
in  these  days,  or  any  days.  We  talk  of  it  glibly,  but 
when  it  comes  to  the  point  —  even  for  myself,  when 
I  tried  to  put  myself  in  his  place  —  then,  he  isn't 
fleshless,  bloodless,  a  natural  fanatic,  as  I  am,"  —  the 
smile  with  which  this  was  uttered  showed  that  the 
man  had  the  gift  of  getting  outside  of  himself,  a 
quality  so  rare  in  saints.  "  He  relishes  the  world  and 
the  world's  ways.  It  means  so  much  for  him  to  give 
them  up.  And  he  does  it  with  no  complaint  and  no 
trumpeting  of  his  sacrifice." 

"Yes,"  she  agreed,  "he  is  very  noble  about  it. 
But  I  have  felt,  as  you  do,  some  question  as  to  the 
wisdom  of  the  decision  —  for  him.  May  he  not  regret 
it  some  day  ?  "  And,  after  a  pause,  she  added,  "  His 
cousin,  step-cousin,  Miss  Harper,  do  you  know  her?  " 

Marcus  shook  his  head. 

"  If  he  would  marry  her,  you  know,  he  would  have 
all  the  property." 

"  But  would  she  marry  him?" 

Diana's  lip  curled  ever  so  little,  with  truly  feminine 
scorn,  as  she  answered :  "I  think  she  would.  And 
would  n't  it  be  better  ?  Would  n't  it  give  him  a  wider 


264        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

sphere  of  usefulness,  give  him  the  large  means  which 
he  so  well  knows  how  to  use  ?  But  she  is  n't  worthy 
of  him,  Mr.  Upham ." 

"  I  dare  say  not,"  was  the  somewhat  commonplace 
rejoinder. 

Then  the  visitor  took  his  leave  ;  and  on  his  journey 
home  he  thought  a  great  deal  about  tenement  san 
itation,  but  also  a  little  about  the  young  lady  who 
had  supplied  him  with  material  for  getting  up  the 
subject. 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

THE  END   OF  THE  O'BRIENS 

IT  was  the  middle  of  May,  and  Miss  Phelps  and  Ethel 
were  making  their  preparations  for  Cataumet.  Before 
she  went,  however,  Ethel  was  very  anxious  to  see 
something  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Upham,  of  whom 
Harvey  had  been  constantly  talking  during  the  last 
month  or  two. 

"  Aunt  Lucia  and  I,"  she  said  to  her  cousin,  one 
morning,  "  were  thinking  that  perhaps  he  would  come 
and  dine  with  us  quietly  some  evening,  as  your  friend. 
Of  course  it  would  be  very  quiet,  and  very  informal, 
—  just  Miss  Newton,  say,  and  Milly,  and  Mr.  Kent. 
Should  you  like  it  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  should  like  it." 

"And  he?" 

Harvey  reflected  a  little.  "  I  think  Marcus  will 
come,"  he  said.  "  Why  should  n't  he  —  to  please  me  ? 
Though  he  does  n't  do  much  in  the  social  line." 

"  Then  we  '11  consider  it  settled  —  say  for  Monday, 
the  fifteenth,  if  he  can  come.  Oh,  and  Harvey," 
Ethel  added,  "you  know  papa  arranged  that  two 


266        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

hundred  dollars  a  year  was  to  be  paid  to  that  Mrs. 
O'Brien  during  her  life.  Mr.  Legge  is  so  slow  about 
all  those  things ;  but  he  told  me  yesterday  that  he 
should  send  the  first  check  in  a  few  days  now." 

Harvey  made  no  answer,  for  a  moment.  "The 
daughter  is  dead,"  he  said,  at  length,  in  a  hardish 
voice. 

" Is  she?  I'm  so  sorry  —  though  perhaps  she's 
better  off  —  with  that  mother.  But  I  don't  doubt  the 
mother  can  use  the  money." 

"  Very  likely,"  Harvey  replied,  in  the  same  tone. 
"  If  she  '11  take  it." 

"  Take  it ! "  was  the  indignant  rejoinder.  "  Refuse 
a  legacy  like  that  ?  Now,  Harvey,  that  would  be  too 
absurd."  Few  experiences  in  her  life  had  stirred  the 
tranquil  Ethel  more  than  Mrs.  O'Brien's  tirades  on 
the  day  of  their  visit  to  Hudson  Street.  "  Take  it ! 
She  need  n't  take  it  if  she  does  n't  want  to ;  but  I 
don't  see  how  you  can  think  that  such  people  deserve 
any  sympathy." 

To  this  Harvey  made  no  reply. 

Both  Marcus  and  Diana  accepted  Ethel's  invita 
tion,  after  some  urging.  "  It  is  very  kind  of  her ;  but 
I  am  out  of  place  at  a  state  dinner,"  said  both  of 
them,  in  substance.  To  which  Harvey  replied  that  it 
was  not  a  state  dinner,  and  that  they  were  not  going 
for  formal  sociability,  but  that  his  friends  might  meet 


THE    END   OF   THE   O'BRIENS    267 

his  friends,  and  to  please  him.  To  which  argument 
they  both  yielded  gracefully.  Needless  to  say  that 
neither  Milly  nor  Kent  required  any  urging  what 
soever. 

The  dinner  was  perfect,  like  all  Miss  Lucia's  din 
ners.  Ethel's  black  gave  her  firm  figure  a  little  more 
delicacy  than  usual,  and  was  very  becoming.  She 
and  Marcus  seemed  to  take  to  each  other  from  the 
first,  and  to  have  elements  of  sympathy  beyond  the 
mere  fact  of  their  love  for  Harvey.  Milly,  light  and 
bewitching  in  her  pink  frock,  sat  on  the  other  side  of 
the  young  minister,  and  also  gave  him  her  almost  un 
divided  attention,  speaking  of  things  religious  and 
sacrilegious,  with  the  amiable  candor  which  had  cap 
tivated  many  members  of  his  cloth  before. 

Diana  and  Kent  sat  opposite  these  three,  Diana 
this  time  in  quiet  brown,  so  that  Milly' s  splendors  had 
full  possession  of  the  field.  Diana  had  not  seen  her 
cousin  for  some  time. 

"  George,"  she  said,  "  I  've  been  looking  over  your 
book.  I  'm  more  ashamed  of  you  than  ever." 

"  No  ? "  replied  George,  cheerfully,  sipping  the 
golden  Liebfraumilch,  "  is  it  possible  ?  '  Immoderate 
Exposures/  I  presume  you  mean.  What 's  the  matter 
with  it?" 

"  It 's  so  indescribably  vulgar,  —  vulgar  people, 
vulgar  pictures,  and  most  vulgar  language." 


268        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  Well,  I  'm  vulgar,"  said  George,  taking  another 
slow  sip  with  infinite  relish. 

"  No,  you  're  not.  You  have  immense  possibilities 
of  refinement  in  your  nature.  If  you  were  vulgar 
yourself,  you  would  n't  have  such  a  keen  eye  for  the 
vulgarity  of  others." 

"  That 's  very  shrewd  and  very  complimentary. 
Don't  you  think  we  could  go  a  little  farther  and  make 
out  that  I  only  depict  the  vulgarity  of  life  to  show  its 
objectionableness  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit.  You  describe  it  as  if  you  loved  it.  And 
you  make  others  love  it.  It  is  n't  funny  to  be  vulgar. 
But  you  make  it  seem  so." 

"  It  is  funny  to  be  vulgar,  cousin  mine.  It  is  funny 
to  be  anything  in  this  funny  world,  even  an  enthu 
siast  and  a  reformer."  Then,  taking  a  fancy  to  make 
the  conversation  general,  he  spoke  across  the  table. 
"  How  do  you  like  my  last  book,  Upham  ?  " 

"  I  have  n't  seen  it,"  was  the  composed  reply.  "  I 
read  one  of  the  others." 

"  And  that  was  enough  ?  "  suggested  the  snubbed 
author.  "My  cousin  here  is  ashamed  of  me.  She 
thinks  I  might  be  better  employed  than  teaching  the 
vulgar  to  laugh  at  themselves." 

"  I  think  so  too,"  Marcus  answered  gravely. 

"  Yet  is  n't  it  a  beautiful,  golden  thing  to  laugh  ?  " 
continued  the  journalist,  laughing,  as  he  defended  his 


THE   END    OF   THE   O'BRIENS    269 

occupation  in  life.  "  Go  out  into  the  street  and  see  the 
hungry,  careworn,  eager,  anxious,  hard,  greedy  faces. 
All  I  want  is  to  relax  them  a  little,  to  soften  them  a 
little,  just  for  one  moment.  I'm  an  enthusiast,  too, 
you  see,  and  a  reformer,  and  a  philanthropist.  Would 
you  believe  it  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Marcus,  with  undisturbed  serenity.  "  I 
don't." 

"  But  I  do,"  Milly  broke  in.  "  I  think  Mr.  Kent  is 
a  moralist  and  a  prophet,  after  his  fashion.  '  Pity  is 
akin  to  love,'  says  the  poet.  I  think  laughter  is,  too. 
When  you  are  laughing  at  people,  you  are  n't  hating 
them,  or  quarreling  with  them.  Indeed,  I  am  sure 
you  must  be  rather  inclined  to  charity  and  tolerance." 

"That's  it,"  remarked  Diana.  "There  are  things 
one  ought  not  to  tolerate." 

"  Things,  perhaps,  not  people." 

"  Bravo  ! "  cried  Kent,  delighted  with  this  exchange 
of  shots.  "  Laughter  is  as  broad  and  charitable  as  the 
sunlight.  It  embraces  even  those  who  hate  it  most, 
and  finds  its  sweetest  nutriment  in  the  dense  earnest 
ness  of  those  who  preach  against  it.  So  now,  cousin 
Diana." 

After  dinner  Marcus  followed  the  ladies,  leaving 
Kent  and  Harvey  to  their  cigars  in  the  dining-room. 
Upstairs  Milly  attached  herself  to  Diana;  and  the 
two,  seated  on  a  sofa  in  a  quiet  corner,  prepared  for 


270       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

a  pleasant  little  sparring  match,  in  which  it  was  diffi 
cult  to  foretell  the  victor.  Marcus  seemed  decidedly 
to  prefer  the  calmer  society  of  Ethel,  and  as  Miss 
Lucia  soon  excused  herself  on  the  plea  of  fatigue,  he 
had  an  excellent  opportunity  to  get  acquainted  with 
his  friend's  cousin  and  to  study  the  advantages  which 
his  friend  had  thrown  away. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  have  this  chance  of  talking 
with  you  about  Harvey,"  began  Ethel,  after  her 
aunt's  departure.  "  He  has  talked  so  much  of  you. 
I  know  that  no  one  has  so  much  influence  over  him 
as  you  have." 

Marcus  understood  her  perfectly.  "  And  you  think 
I  have  used  that  influence  in  a  very  unfortunate 
way?"  . 

"  Unfortunate  for  us,"  she  answered,  with  the  frank 
ness  which  was  her  greatest  charm. 

"But  for  him?" 

"Of  course,  I  can't  tell  as  to  that  —  yet.  Nor  can 
you.  Nor  any  one.  But  don't  you  think  you  have 
taken  a  great  responsibility,  Mr.  Upham?  " 

"  It  is  the  first  duty  of  my  calling  to  take  respon 
sibility  for  human  souls." 

"True,"  she  replied  slowly. 

He  was  pleased  with  her  open-mindedness,  but 
went  on,  with  some  haste  :  "  Yet,  to  speak  candidly, 
I  have  shunned  the  responsibility  in  Harvey's  case. 


THE    END    OF    THE    O'BRIENS    271 

I  did  sow  the  seed,  I  suppose ;  but  I  have  refrained, 
as  much  as  in  me  lay,  from  cultivating  it." 

She  looked  at  him  with  earnest  thought  in  her 
warm  brown  eyes.  "  Then  you  do  feel  that  the  re 
sponsibility  is  serious  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  do  —  very  serious.  Harvey 's  is  a  big,  complex, 
many-sided  nature.  Neither  you,  nor  I,  nor  he  him 
self,  can  decide  off-hand  what  is  best  for  him." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Upham,"  Ethel  urged,  with  a  singular 
depth  of  pleading  in  her  tone,  "  if  you  feel  that  way, 
do  give  us  the  benefit  of  it.  Let  Harvey  come  back 
to  us,  if  he  will." 

Then  she  colored  a  little  at  the  full  bearing  of  what 
she  had  said.  "It  is  nothing  to  do  with  me  person 
ally.  Pray  believe  I  am  speaking  for  his  good.  Har 
vey  and  I  are  brother  and  sister  and  can  never  be 
anything  more.  But  that  he  should  throw  away  such 
a  chance  of  being  something  in  the  world  —  And 
that  I,  who  have  no  claim  whatever,  should  get  so 
much  that  belongs  to  him —  It  is  n't  right.  You  must 
see  that  it  isn't  right." 

Marcus  was  touched ;  but  he  was  not  the  sort  of 
man  to  let  his  feelings  run  away  with  him.  "  As  I 
told  you,  Miss  Harper,"  he  said,  "I  have  abstained 
from  influencing  Harvey,  when  it  was  very  diffi 
cult  to  abstain.  I  couldn't  interfere  now,  even  if  I 
thought  it  best.  Andjt  would  do  no  good.  Harvey 


272        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

is  a  man  who  must  and  will  work  out  his  own  life. 
All  we  can  do  is  to  stand  by  and  watch  the  struggle 
with  absorbed  interest." 

Then  Ethel  dropped  the  subject,  realizing  that  she 
had  met  a  nature  just  as  firm  and  immovable  as  her 
own,  though  in  a  different  way.  She  respected  him 
and  he  her,  and  they  began  to  talk  of  things  of  no 
interest  whatever  to  either  of  them. 

But  Milly  and  Diana  had  been  fencing  joyously. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Milly,  "  I  envy  you." 

"Really?"  Diana  answered,  with  some  suspicion. 
"  How  is  that  ?  " 

"  It  must  be  delightful  to  see  so  much  meaning  in 
life,  to  strive  and  struggle  on,  with  so  much  enthusi 
asm,  towards  a  definite  end." 

Diana  laughed  a  little  more  comfortably.  After  all, 
if  this  creature  of  frail  frivolity  was  making  fun  of 
her,  what  did  it  matter  ?  "  What  is  the  definite  end 
towards  which  I  am  working  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  don't  know  ;  but  I  thought  you  did."  The  per 
fect  simplicity  of  the  reply  seemed  to  deprive  it  of 
all  impertinence. 

Diana  parried,  without  making  a  definite  response. 
"  Do  you  give  me  to  understand  that  you  don't  see 
any  meaning  in  life  ?  " 

Milly  looked  down  into  her  pink  lap,  at  her  little 
hands,  which  showed  work  in  spite  of  all  the  mani- 


THE    END    OF   THE   O'BRIENS    273 

cure  she  bestowed  on  them.  "  Meaning?  Yes,"  she 
murmured.  "  Gleams  of  meaning,  shreds  of  meaning, 
spidery  films  dancing  in  the  sunlight.  You  get  an 
end  of  one  between  your  fingers  —  so  —  on  a  summer 
morning,  and  think  it  will  lead  you  to  heaven.  Then, 
in  an  hour  or  two,  the  fog  comes,  thick,  and  the  film 
melts  away,  and  you  grope  —  so." 

"I'm  afraid  you  have  nerves,"  suggested  Diana, 
as  little  scornfully  as  possible. 

"Nerves?"  was  the  answer,  very  scornful  indeed. 
"  Have  n't  you  nerves  ?  I  read  them  all  over  you. 
But  probably  you  have  a  will  that  keeps  them  in 
order.  I  have  n't."  Then  she  leaned  close  to  Diana, 
with  a  hand  on  her  arm,  and  no  human  being  could 
have  told  whether  she  meant  what  she  said  or  not. 
"  I  suppose  it  is  my  nerves,  but  there  are  times  when 
I  feel  that  I  should  like  to  outdo  you  —  far.  The  in 
stinct  of  sacrifice  —  great  big  sacrifice  —  is  in  me  if 
I  let  go.  I  should  like  to  wear  sackcloth  next  my  skin 
and  strew  ashes  in  my  hair,  tend  loathsome  diseases 
from  morning  till  night  and  kneel  on  cold  stones  from 
night  till  morning.  I  really  should.  Only  I  'm  afraid 
it  would  be  ridiculous." 

"  It  would,"  said  Diana,  laughing,  not  very  sym 
pathetically.  "But  why  bring  me  into  it?  I  don't 
wear  sackcloth  nor  strew  ashes  in  my  hair." 

"  Don't  you  ?  "   The  words  were  nothing ;  but  the 


274        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

tone  —  if  Diana  had  not  been  a  Christian,  she  would 
have  struck  her. 

"Then,"  continued  Milly,  in  the  same  low,  intense 
voice,  "  it  all  goes."  She  made  a  gesture,  as  of  spong 
ing  a  slate.  "  And  the  world  comes  back  again  ;  the 
gay  world,  the  merry  world,  the  beautiful  world : 
laughter,  and  waltzes,  and  bridge,  and  frocks,  and 
champagne  —  illimitable.  Nerves,  I  suppose.  But,  do 
you  know,  though  Mr.  Phelps  has  no  nerves,  I  'm  as 
sure  as  sure  it  will  be  just  so  with  him.  And  that  is 
the  whole  point  of  my  little  sermon.  Sackcloth  and 
ashes  seem  lovely  to  him  now.  But  it  must  be  that 
that  film  will  run  into  fog  some  day  and  he  will  lose 
it,  and  then  the  champagne  and  laughter  will  seem 
lovely.  I  hope  it  won't  be  too  late." 

The  infinite  impertinence  of  this  tirade  was  not  lost 
upon  Diana.  It  was  not  meant  to  be.  Yet  how  could 
she  get  angry  ?  Why  should  she  ?  Again  she  laughed, 
as  scornfully  as  courtesy  would  permit ;  for  she  was 
human.  "  I  hope  not  also,"  she  agreed.  "  But  for  all 
I  can  see,  Mr.  Phelps  is  as  far  from  sackcloth  as  he  is 
from  champagne.  In  any  case,  I  don't  quite  know 
how  it  concerns  me." 

"  If  you  don't,  I  don't,"  said  Milly  shortly.  "  Let 's 
go  over  and  look  at  Ethel's  photographs." 

Meanwhile  Kent  and  Harvey  smoked  and  sipped 
their  cr£me  de  menthe,  talking  vaguely  of  liqueurs 


THE    END    OF   THE   O'BRIENS    275 

and  ladies.  Kent  had  tried  hard  for  weeks  to  say 
just  the  right  word  to  Harvey,  but  they  had  both 
been  a  great  deal  occupied  and  Harvey  had  been 
unresponsive.  Now  seemed  a  good  opportunity  for 
an  attack  along  a  new  line. 

"  It  must  be  rather  hard,  old  chap,"  he  began,  "  to 
throw  away  everything  for  a  pretty  toy  and  then  not 
get  it." 

"What's  all  this  about?"  asked  Harvey,  as  yet 
unsuspecting. 

"  Diana,"  said  the  other ;  and  blew  the  name  to 
heaven  in  a  cloud  of  smoke. 

"  Oh,"  went  in  non-committal  fumigation  after  it. 

But  Kent  had  not  interviewed  all  our  leading  poli 
ticians  to  be  discouraged  in  that  way.  "  You  won't 
think  I  'm  over-inclined  to  interfere  "  — 

"  I  may,"  Harvey  suggested. 

"  Very  well.  I  don't  care  if  you  do.  But  it  occurred 
to  me  that,  as  a  disinterested  outsider,  I  might  call 
your  -attention  to  the  fact  that  our  friend  Upham  and 
our  cousin  Diana  seemed  singularly  adapted  to  each 
other,  and  from  some  things  that  have  come  to  me  I 
imagine  they  may  be  on  the  way  to  find  it  out." 

"  Really  ?  "  If  Harvey's  puffs  came  any  quicker  or 
any  slower,  his  friend's  keen  eye  could  not  detect  it. 
"  Do  you  know,  George,  I  am  dull,  but  your  idea  is 
one  that  occurred  to  me  some  time  ago?" 


276        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  Ah,  and  what  do  you  think  of  it  ?  " 

"  What  should  I  think  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  did  n't  know  but  you  might  not  like  it." 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  should  like  it  very  well." 

"  Then  I  was  mistaken.  I  often  am."  Kent  lifted 
his  glass  and  took  a  meditative  sip.  Afterwards  he 
held  the  clear  emerald  liquid  against  the  light  and 
surveyed  it  critically.  "This  is  a  pleasant  way  to 
live,"  he  said,  setting  the  glass  down,  and  waving 
his  hand  over  the  table,  with  its  flowers  and  silver. 
"  To  think  that  you  might  marry  either  one  of  two 
charming  girls  and  live  in  splendor  all  the  days  of 
your  life ! " 

"Two?"  repeated  Harvey,  with  very  languid  in 
terest. 

"  Why,  there  is  Miss  Erskine  and  Miss  Harper." 

"  You  seem  to  be  overwhelmingly  matrimonial  to 
night,  George.  Miss  Erskine  has  already  refused  to 
marry  me.  And  Miss  Harper  certainly  would." 

"Indeed?  I  didn't  know,"  answered  the  journalist, 
as  meekly  as  any  lamb.  "  Still,"  he  continued,  in  the 
same  lamb-like  tone,  " I've  heard  it  said  that  it  does 
no  harm  to  ask  any  woman  twice." 

Harvey  made  no  reply ;  and  as  the  cigars  were 
finished,  the  two  went  upstairs. 

In  the  drawing-room  the  conversation  was  general 
and  not  very  lively  ;  and  a  ring  at  the  door  was  wel- 


THE   END    OF   THE    O'BRIENS    277 

come  to  Diana  as  announcing  her  carriage.  It  was 
not  her  carriage,  however.  There  was  a  few  mo 
ments'  delay,  accompanied  by  the  sound  of  voices 
below.  Then  the  butler  came  into  the  room,  in  a 
somewhat  perturbed  state  of  mind  ;  and  before  he 
could  speak,  he  was  followed  by  the  whirlwind  ap 
parition  of  Mrs.  O'Brien.  Rushing  straight  up  to 
Ethel,  she  threw  an  envelope  into  her  lap.  "  There 's 
your  money,"  she  cried,  in  her  strident,  unnatural 
voice.  "  I  'd  have  brought  it  before,  only  I  did  n't 
get  home  till  late  from  working  all  day.  Do  you  sup 
pose  I'd  have  it  in  my  house  a  minute?  There's 
blood  —  blood  on  it.  Do  you  know  my  Maggie's 
dead  ?  And  who  killed  her  ?  The  man  that  stole  that 
money  —  stole  it,  I  say  —  yes,  stole  it  —  by  wringing 
and  grinding  and  treading  on  the  poor.  And  now 
he  tries  to  smooth  things  over  by  giving  back  a  drop 
of  it.  Did  you  think  I  'd  take  it  and  be  bought  that 
way?  Do  you  think,  for  fifty  dollars,  I  'd  give  up  the 
right  of  saying  he 's  in  hell  ?  —  in  hell  ?  —  in  hell  ?  " 

The  instant  the  woman  entered,  Diana  had  under 
stood  the  emergency,  and  set  herself  with  divinely 
quiet  tact  to  get  her  out  of  the  room.  At  this  point 
she  succeeded,  and  nothing  more  was  heard  but  the 
echo  of  incoherent  raving,  as  they  gradually  with 
drew  downstairs  and  into  Diana's  carriage,  which 
fortunately  had  just  arrived. 


278        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

The  awkwardness  that  fell  upon  the  company  after 
this  episode  was  such  as  one  experiences  only  a  few 
times  in  a  moderately  long*  life.  Ethel,  pale  and 
shaken  more  than  she  had  ever  been  before,  tried 
to  do  something  to  support  Milly's  tactful  efforts  at 
conversation ;  but  evidently  the  thing  for  the  men 
to  do  was  to  get  away  as  soon  as  possible ;  and  they 
did. 

"If  it  had  been  a  man !  If  it  had  been  a  man !" 
cried  Kent,  when  they  were  in  the  street.  Ethel's  pale 
ness  had  stirred  him  to  unusual  wrath. 

"  But  the  woman  was  simply  crazy,  neither  more 
nor  less,"  Upham  urged. 

"  Bah  !   Crazy  !   So  was  I." 


CHAPTER   XXV 

THE  EVERLASTING  ARMS 

ON  a  warm  June  Sunday,  Harvey  and  Diana  rode  out 
in  the  open  car  to  Marcus's  evening  service.  They  had 
long  planned  to  do  this ;  but  Diana  had  many  en 
gagements,  and  Harvey  had  determined  not  to  seek 
her  society  without  a  good  excuse.  This  evening 
tempted  him,  however ;  so  he  telephoned  and  found 
that  she  was  at  leisure  and  glad  to  go. 

The  little  church  was  dimly  lighted  and  only  partly 
filled.  Diana  chose  a  pew  at  the  back,  in  a  quiet  cor 
ner,  close  under  the  open  window.  If  your  thoughts 
wandered  and  you  looked  out,  you  could  catch  the 
calm  twinkle  of  the  stars  through  the  elm  boughs, 
rocking  gently  in  the  summer  breeze.  Even  if  your 
thoughts  were  most  devoutly  fixed,  the  sounds  of 
night  would  mingle  with  them,  the  long,  low  rustle 
of  the  foliage,  the  perpetual  throbbing  murmur  of  a 
thousand  hidden  creatures,  broken  now  and  then  by 
the  clang  and  rush  of  a  car  or  the  tramp  of  horses' 
feet. 

Harvey's  thoughts  were  not  fixed  altogether.    In- 


28o        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

deed,  at  first,  he  paid  little  heed  to  the  service.  Diana 
was  beside  him,  close,  their  garments  touching ;  and 
that  proximity  was  too  intense  to  leave,  for  the  mo 
ment,  any  room  for  vaguer  things.  Yet  there  before 
him  also  was  Marcus,  dim  and  quiet  in  his  sacerdotal 
robes,  moving  about  the  duties  of  his  sacred  office 
with  a  priestly  dignity.  Was  not  his  proximity  to 
Diana  in  reality  closer  than  Harvey's  own,  a  spiritual 
proximity  beside  which  that  of  flesh  and  blood  was 
cold,  limited,  and  incomplete  ?  The  thought  was  so 
deadening  that  he  instinctively  drew  away  from  her 
a  little,  as  if  their  physical  contact  meant  a  separation 
and  a  bar.  It  is  true  that  Marcus  had  not,  as  yet,  sug 
gested  any  special  feeling  on  his  part  toward  Diana ; 
indeed,  Harvey  sometimes  doubted  whether  his  friend 
ever  analyzed,  or  wished  to  analyze,  the  situation. 
But  it  was  not  alone  Kent's  unkind  innuendo — it 
was  Harvey's  own  sense  of  the  peculiar  fitness  of 
the  match,  his  keen  appreciation  of  the  sympathy  in 
nature  and  in  aim  which  drew  the  two  together,  that 
made  him  feel  as  if  their  union,  sooner  or  later,  was 
inevitable.  With  that  thought  in  mind  how  was  it 
possible  for  him  to  cherish  these  pleasant  proximities 
or  to  do  anything  but  crush  the  great,  the  almost 
overmastering  hunger  that  possessed  him  ? 

These  thoughts  filled  his  mind  during  the  first  part 
of  the  service,  they  mingled  with  the  low  responses  of 


THE   EVERLASTING   ARMS       281 

the  kneeling  women  and  blended  with  the  hushed, 
distant  murmur  of  the  throng  of  summer  insects. 
Then  Marcus  began  his  discourse,  and  gradually  the 
burden  of  it  forced  itself  into  Harvey's  ears,  just  a 
brief  simple  burden,  the  grand  phrase  of  Deuteron 
omy,  "And  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms." 
The  preacher  attempted  no  elaborate  logical  develop 
ment.  He  spoke  without  notes,  and  gradually  warm 
ing  with  the  power  of  his  theme,  he  dwelt  upon  the 
weariness  of  common  life,  the  weariness  of  success, 
the  weariness  of  power,  the  weariness  of  blind  strength 
hurling  itself  forever,  in  sinewed  impotence,  against 
the  barren  cliffs  and  thorny  thickets  of  the  world. 
And  ever,  as  he  depicted  the  failures  of  such  strength, 
all  the  weaker  because  of  its  superb  confidence  in 
itself,  he  brought  his  hearers  back  to  the  immortal 
calm  of  the  old  refrain,  "And  underneath  are  the 
everlasting  arms,"  "And  underneath  are  the  ever 
lasting  arms." 

And  Harvey,  as  he  listened,  forgot  the  vague 
sounds  of  humanity  outside  and  the  tranquil  chorus 
of  the  insects,  forgot  the  dim  presence  of  the  worship 
ers,  forgot  even  the  enchanting  nearness  of  Diana 
herself.  They  were  for  him,  these  words,  and  they 
burned  themselves  into  his  brain.  Who  knew  better 
than  he  the  weakness  of  strength,  its  barren  self-con 
fidence,  its  absurd  inadequacy  in  dealing  with  the 


282        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

serious  problems  of  life  ?  Always  hitherto,  in  all  his 
difficulties,  he  had  trusted  in  himself,  trusted  in  his 
muscle,  in  his  nerve,  been  unwilling  to  make  the  real 
surrender  that  the  fuller  life  of  the  soul  demanded  of 
him.  Now  that  trust  began  to  fail.  At  last  he  dimly 
seized  the  possibility  of  something  higher  and  broader 
and  deeper  and  stronger  than  human  muscle,  and 
human  nerve,  and  human  strength.  The  white  figure 
of  Jesus  shone  out  and  burned  before  him,  as  it  had 
never  done  in  other  days.  The  whole  mighty  clasp 
of  the  divine  seemed  to  enfold  him  in  the  awful  repe 
tition  of  those  words,  "  And  underneath  are  the  ever 
lasting  arms,"  "  And  underneath  are  the  everlasting 
arms." 

After  the  service  they  waited  a  few  moments  for 
Marcus ;  and  he  walked  with  them  to  the  car.  The 
conversation  was  mainly  between  him  and  Diana, 
who  thanked  him,  with  much  feeling,  for  his  brief 
talk. 

"  You  ought  to  have,  you  must  have  a  wider  circle 
of  hearers,"  she  went  on.  "  Such  preaching  as  yours 
must  not  be  wasted  on  a  little  country  parish." 

"  You  overestimate  it  altogether,"  he  replied.  "  But 
such  as  it  is,  I  don't  think  it  wasted.  I  believe  I  am 
more  fitted  to  talk  simply  to  a  few  earnest  people  in 
the  twilight  than  for  anything  else.  At  any  rate,  I 
always  feel,  myself,  that  I  talk  better  in  that  way." 


THE   EVERLASTING   ARMS       283 

Then  he  went  on  to  suggest  some  difficulties  in 
his  parish  work  and  to  ask  her  advice  about  them. 
Harvey  listened  and  answered,  when  one  or  the  other 
made  a  courteous  effort  to  bring  him  into  the  conver 
sation  ;  but,  for  the  time,  his  thoughts  were  on  other 
things. 

Riding  home  beside  Diana  he  was  equally  silent, 
and  after  one  or  two  attempts  to  make  him  talk,  ren 
dered  doubly  difficult  by  the  noisy  surroundings,  she 
too  settled  into  quiet  reflection  on  the  experiences  of 
the  evening. 

When  they  got  out  at  the  corner  of  Fan-field  Street 
they  passed  back  of  the  car,  and  Diana,  who  was 
ahead,  stepped  directly  in  the  way  of  an  automobile, 
which  was  going  quite  as  fast  as  the  law  allows.  She 
screamed  a  little,  and  stood  still,  paralyzed  for  the 
moment.  One  or  two  other  women  screamed  a  good 
deal.  But  Harvey  reached  forward  and,  catching  her 
under  the  arms,  swung  her  back  to  safety.  Then  the 
automobile  passed  one  way  into  the  darkness  and 
the  car  the  other,  and  the  two  were  left  standing  in 
the  middle  of  the  street. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Harvey,  with  his  usual 
tranquillity. 

She  looked  at  him  trembling.  It  was  the  first  time 
she  had  got  any  direct  impression  of  the  splendid 
vigor  of  his  muscles.  "  My  pardon  ?  "  she  repeated. 


284        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  Where  should  I  have  been  now,  if  it  had  n't  been 
for  you  ?  How  strong  you  must  be." 

As  they  started  to  walk  home,  Harvey  saw  that 
she  was  somewhat  shaken  and  disturbed.  "  You  had 
better  take  hold  of  my  arm,"  he  suggested. 

She  did  so,  without  speaking.  To  have  her  so  close 
to  him,  so  dependent  on  him,  her  whom  he  felt  to  be 
in  reality  so  much  the  stronger  of  the  two,  made  a 
curious  blend  with  the  other  impressions  which  the 
evening  had  afforded. 

When  they  reached  her  house,  she  asked  him  to 
come  in,  and  he  accepted  the  invitation.  A  mighty 
desire  possessed  him  to  tell  her  of  all  he  had  felt,  of 
all  he  had  been  through,  to  compare  sensations  with 
her,  to  find  out  what  her  experience  had  been  of  this 
vast  exaltation,  this  supreme  repose.  Something  of 
the  kind  he  attempted.  There  seemed  to  be  a  blind 
and  painful  groping  of  his  spirit  towards  her ;  but  it 
was  fruitless  and  unavailing,  ended  in  little  more 
than  a  commonplace  expression  of  pleasure  in  Mar 
cus's  gift  of  teaching  and  preaching,  ended,  as  their 
conversations  were  now  so  apt  to  do,  in  admiring 
eulogy  of  Marcus  himself.  Why  was  it  that  she  was 
so  difficult  to  approach,  so  remote  from  him,  so  almost 
on  her  guard,  as  it  appeared,  against  any  touch  of 
sentiment  or  sympathy  ?  Was  it  because  he  had  been 
so  abrupt  with  her,  had  so  foolishly,  so  crudely  intro- 


THE    EVERLASTING   ARMS       285 

duced  a  merely  personal  element  into  their  relation 
which  she  would  have  kept  wholly  ethereal  and  ab 
stract  ?  He  could  not  help  asking  himself  whether  she 
would  resent  the  personal  element  as  much  when  it 
was  embodied  in  Marcus.  But  then,  Marcus  had  tact 
and  he  had  none. 

As  he  fell  asleep  that  night,  these  thoughts  were 
strangely  mingled  in  his  mind  with  the  strong  emo 
tions  of  the  earlier  part  of  the  evening,  and  the  sense 
of  separation  from  her  made  him  recur  again  to  the 
overmastering  refrain,  "  And  underneath  are  the  ever 
lasting  arms." 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

"GO  ASK  HER  TO-MORROW " 

DAYLIGHT  and  the  return  to  commoner  things  dulled, 
for  a  time,  the  intensity  of  Harvey's  religious  expe 
rience.  It  was  there,  hovering  in  the  background  ; 
but  still  the  old,  stubborn  Adam  fought  against  it, 
not  so  much  in  the  longing  for  pure  worldliness,  as 
in  the  hatred  of  self-surrender,  the  unwillingness  to 
give  up  quite  to  the  new  commanding  influence,  to 
come  out  squarely  and  openly  under  the  leadership 
of  Christ.  If  Marcus  had  been  approachable,  avail 
able,  had  laid  the  earnest  softness  of  his  touch  on  his 
friend's  heart,  at  the  appropriate  moment,  the  thing 
would  doubtless  have  been  done.  But  just  at  this 
time  Marcus  was  very  busy  with  his  own  concerns, 
often  also  with  Diana's,  whom  Harvey  was  still  dis 
posed  to  avoid.  And  Harvey  found  himself  more 
and  more  engaged  with  his  country  hospital.  The 
work  was  growing.  Those  who  managed  it,  finding 
that  he  had  leisure,  intelligence,  and  inclination,  left 
him  more  and  more  of  the  burden.  He  threw  himself 
into  his  task  with  much  energy,  and  devoted  all  the 


ASK  HER  TO-MORROW"     287 

first  part  of  the  summer  to  a  new  method  of  organ 
ization  which  put  the  whole  scheme  on  a  more  satis 
factory  business  basis  and  gave  great  promise  of  suc 
cess  in  the  future.  Thus  he  saw  very  little  of  his  two 
friends ;  but  what  he  did  see  confirmed  him  more 
and  more  in  the  impression  that  they  were  drawing 
nearer  to  each  other. 

It  was  an  intensely  hot  evening  toward  the  end  of 
July,  and  Harvey  was  sitting  in  his  room,  in  distinct 
undress,  perspiring  over  the  hospital  accounts,  when 
he  was  astonished  by  a  visit  from  Marcus. 

"  Come  in,  old  man,"  he  cried,  "  and  take  off  your 
clothes.  You  '11  die,  if  you  don't." 

"No,  you  come  out  with  me,"  Marcus  replied. 
"  We  '11  stroll  somewhere.  It 's  cooler  outside." 

Harvey  glanced  at  his  accounts  and  thought  that 
this  meant  the  small  hours  of  the  morning.  Then  he 
glanced  at  Marcus  and  saw  that  he  was  paler  than 
usual,  looked  almost  ill,  in  fact.  It  might  be  the  heat. 
It  was  more  likely  to  be  something  else,  Harvey 
thought,  and  thought  he  knew  what  that  something 
was.  So,  without  further  discussion,  he  put  on  his 
collar  and  coat  and  followed  his  friend  into  the  street. 

They  walked  down  the  avenue  more  rapidly  than 
was  quite  consistent  with  comfort  in  such  a  tempera 
ture,  talking  of  things  indifferent,  other  conversa 
tion  being  hardly  possible  amid  the  roar  and  rattle 


288        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

of  cars  and  the  varied  confusion  of  the  crowd.  In 
the  same  way  they  continued  down  Boylston  Street 
till  they  reached  the  Public  Garden.  There  Marcus 
turned  in,  and,  after  some  searching,  they  found  a 
seat  to  themselves,  out  of  the  glare  of  the  light,  where 
they  could  exchange  their  thoughts  in  comparative 
peace. 

At  first  it  seemed  as  if  they  had  none  to  exchange, 
and  they  sat  side  by  side  in  silence,  Harvey  tran 
quilly  enjoying  his  cigar.  A  breath  of  freshness 
began  to  pass  through  the  night  air.  Overhead  the 
leaves  trembled  softly.  Distant  sounds  of  every  kind 
mingled  together  in  rough  harmony.  A  man  and  a 
woman  were  sitting  on  a  bench  near  them,  half 
hidden  by  an  intervening  thicket.  The  man  spoke 
low,  steadily,  passionately.  You  could  hear  the  tone, 
though  not  the  words.  Now  and  then  the  woman 
uttered  a  vague  murmur,  more  passionate  than  his. 

Finally  Marcus  began  to  speak.  His  voice  was  a 
bit  hurried  and  broken,  lacked  the  soft  note  of  com 
mand  which  naturally  belonged  to  it.  "  I  want  to  ask 
your  advice,  Harvey." 

"  My  advice  ?   It 's  not  worth  much." 

"  It  is  to  me  —  just  now."  He  paused  again,  as  if 
at  a  loss  for  words.  "  Miss  Newton  "  — he  went  on. 
"  I've  got  singularly  fond  of  her,  you  know." 

"  That 's  quite  natural,"  was  the  sympathetic  reply. 


"GO  ASK  HER  TO-MORROW"     289 

"  I  don't  know  whether  it  is  or  not."  Now  that  he 
had  started,  Marcus  spoke  with  his  usual  ease,  but 
he  still  looked  away  from  his  friend  at  the  man  and 
woman  of  the  passionate  duologue.  "  I  don't  know 
whether  to  be  ashamed  of  it  or  not." 

"  No,"  interrupted  Harvey  abruptly. 

"  I  don't  mean  ashamed  of  the  feeling,  but  of  my 
self  for  having  it ;  —  I' ve  never  thought  much  of  those 
things,  kept  away  from  women,  believed  in  a  priest's 
exclusive  devotion  to  his  work.  I  really  hoped  that 
it  would  be  so  with  me,  that  I  was  stronger  or  colder 
than  other  men.  I  was  a  little  proud  of  it,  I'm  afraid. 
And  now  —  she 's  different  from  other  women, 
Harvey." 

"They  mostly  are,"  was  the  sententious  com 
ment. 

"I  shan't  blame  you  for  laughing  at  me,"  con 
tinued  the  minister,  in  all  humility. 

"  I  'm  not  laughing  —  really,"  answered  Harvey, 
with  earnestness.  "  I  'm  not  much  of  a  laugher,  as 
you  know.  As  for  Miss  Newton  —  she  is  different. 
She  is  not  flesh  and  blood,  as  I  told  you  once."  —  Ah, 
how  clearly  he  remembered  that  interview.  "  She 's 
pure  spirit." 

"  Yes,"  Marcus  agreed.  "  And  therefore  I  'm  mak 
ing  a  fool  of  myself." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  replied  his  friend,  with  energy. 


290        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

"  You  are  just  the  one  for  her  —  and  she  for 
you." 

Marcus  sat  up  and  looked  Harvey  straight  in  the 
eye,  laying  an  eager  hand  on  his  arm.  "  Do  you 
think  so?"  The  passion  of  his  tone  struck  cold  on 
Harvey's  heart.  "  Don't  encourage  me  unless  you 
really  think  so.  You  don't  know  what  she  's  grown 
to  be  to  me.  I  hear  her  voice  when  I  pray  morning 
and  evening.  I  see  her  face  when  I  stand  at  the  altar. 
It  would  be  terrible  if  it  were  n't  so  beautiful.  It  would 
be  wicked  if  it  were  n't  right.  Harvey  —  do  you  — 
think  she  cares  for  me?"  He  bent  forward  and 
covered  his  face  with  his  hands.  A  little  shudder 
shook  his  frame  and  Harvey  felt  it. 

"  How  can  a  man  tell  positively  about  these 
things?"  he  answered,  with  his  wonderful  gentle 
ness.  "  She  must  love  you,  old  man.  How  can  she 
help  it,  when  you  have  everything  in  common  ?  " 

For  a  little  while  nothing  was  said.  The  breeze 
rocked  the  great  branches  of  the  elms  more  audibly. 
The  man  and  woman  had  ceased  speaking,  save 
for  an  occasional  whisper,  and  sat  with  their  hands 
clasped,  looking  now  and  again  into  each  other's 
eyes. 

When  Marcus  spoke,  it  was  without  changing  his 
position,  and  with  a  certain  abruptness.  "  I  thought 
at  first  you  loved  her  yourself,  Harvey." 


"GO  ASK  HER  TO-MORROW"     291 

Harvey  met  the  thrust  unperturbed.  "At  first  I 
thought  so,  too." 

Marcus  sat  up  and  looked  at  his  friend.  "And 
now  ?"  His  voice  was  hoarse,  harsh  almost. 

"  Now  I  see  she 's  not  my  kind,"  continued  the 
other  calmly.  "  Not  flesh  and  blood,  you  know.  I 
am.  She  belongs  way,  way  up  above  me,  just  as  you 
do.  I  can  never  get  up  there,  and  if  I  did  I  could  n't 
stay.  I  can  only  look  up  —  and  stumble  in  the  mud, 
while  I  'm  doing  it." 

The  instant  response  came,  low  and  eager.  "  If  I 
thought,  for  a  moment,  I  were  coming  between  her 
and  you,  I  would  tear  the  image  of  her  out  of  my 
heart,  if  half  my  heart  went  with  it." 

"I  know  you  would,  I  know  you  would,"  an 
swered  Harvey,  in  his  most  commonplace  manner. 
"  Luckily  there 's  no  need  of  anything  of  the  kind. 
Go  ask  her  to-morrow.  I  know  what  she  '11  say  to 
you." 

"Ask  her,"  repeated  the  minister,  after  another 
brief  pause.  "I  don't  know  how.  What  words?" 

"Don't  think  about  the  words.  All  that  will  ar 
range  itself." 

"  And  to-morrow,"  Marcus  went  on.  "  She 's  going 
away  to-morrow  —  for  six  weeks.  Didn't  you  know 
it?" 

"  No."    Any  one  but  a  lover  would  have  started  at 


292       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

the  sound  of  the  monosyllable  ;  but  this  priest-lover 
heard  it  not.  "  I  could  n't  ask  her  so  soon/'  he  con 
tinued.  "I  will  wait  till  she  gets  back  —  give  her 
time  —  give  myself  time." 

"  Better  have  it  over,"  was  Harvey's  friendly  sug 
gestion. 

"  No,  no,  I  could  n't.  I  must  think  of  it  further, 
must  adjust  my  life  to  it,  must  make  myself  more 
worthy  of  her.  I  am  so  unworthy.  —  Harvey,  do  you 
think  she  can  say  yes  ?  " 

Again  Harvey  asserted,  with  the  most  common 
place  candor,  that  he  had  every  reason  to  think  she 
would ;  and  during  the  remainder  of  the  evening  he 
listened,  with  an  unfailing  patience,  to  his  friend's 
doubts  and  questions  and  difficulties,  to  those  in 
tensely  personal  outpourings  which  come  so  readily 
from  every  lover,  priest  or  layman,  high  or  low. 

When  Marcus  had  at  length  departed,  and  the  ac 
counts  of  the  country  hospital  became  the  urgent 
necessity  of  the  moment,  Harvey,  even  while  he 
worked  at  them  with  all  his  energy,  felt  himself 
oppressed  by  an  overwhelming  sense  of  desolation 
and  solitude.  On  toward  the  pale  morning  hours 
he  labored,  when  the  city  sounds  were  hushed  into 
comparative  quiet  and  the  slow  ticking  of  the  clock 
was  the  only  accompaniment  to  the  dull  thud  of  fig 
ures  on  his  heated  brain.  Another  sphere  !  Another 


"GO  ASK  HER  TO-MORROW"     293 

sphere !  Those  two  were  like  pure,  dim,  twin  stars 
floating-  serenely,  in  another  sphere.  And  for  his 
gross  flesh  and  weary  sinews  there  was  nothing  but 
dull,  perpetual  plodding  on  the  barren  surface  of  the 
dusty  earth. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

THE  WINDFLOWER 

HARVEY  saw  Marcus  once  or  twice  during  the  next 
week  or  two,  and  received  his  friend's  confidences 
always  with  the  same  patience  and  sympathy.  Nev 
ertheless,  it  was  something  of  a  relief  when  the  rector 
went  to  pay  a  short  visit  to  his  invalid  mother  in  the 
western  part  of  the  state.  Harvey  felt  that  if  once 
that  marriage  were  arranged  and  over,  life  would  be 
easier  to  accept  and  to  endure. 

Through  August  the  country  hospital  required  con 
stant  attention.  By  the  end  of  the  month,  however, 
the  new  organization  was  completed,  things  were  to 
a  certain  extent  running  themselves,  and  Harvey 
found  himself  without  enough  to  do.  The  weather 
had  been  close,  heavy,  and  depressing  all  through 
the  month.  Every  one  but  Kent  was  out  of  town, 
and  Kent  was  always  busy.  Harvey  passed  a  good 
deal  of  time  in  thinking,  and  thinking  was  an  occu 
pation  he  never  liked.  He  thought  of  Marcus  always 
with  love  and  reverence,  yet  just  now  with  a  little 
touch  of  estrangement.  He  thought  of  Diana,  and 


THE   WINDFLOWER  295 

the  thought  was  bitter-sweet.  Yes,  he  could  never 
forget  what  she  had  done  for  him,  been  to  him.  That 
memory  would  light  him  and  guide  him  always. 
Only,  at  present,  the  light  seemed  a  trifle  far  away. 
There  were  dark  spots  in  the  road,  full  of  mire  and 
mist,  ever  ready  to  befoul  and  befog  the  unwary  trav 
eler.  Even  the  work  he  had  been  doing  all  sum 
mer,  the  hard  work,  the  really  good  work,  did  not 
quite  satisfy  him.  After  all,  there  was  nothing  very 
spiritual  about  it.  Every  one  had  praised  his  aptitude, 
had  hoped  he  would  be  able  to  continue  in  the  same 
enterprise  and  others.  He  hoped  so  himself  and  ex 
pected  it.  Yet  what  he  had  done  was  a  matter  of 
business,  not  so  very  unlike  his  duties  in  his  uncle's 
office.  He  had  even  been  dismayed  to  find  that  good, 
charitable,  devoted  people  were  inclined  to  be  won 
derfully  tolerant  of  some  of  the  business  methods 
which  had  excited  his  wrath  and  disgust,  especially 
when  their  own  philanthropic  pursuits  seemed  likely 
to  benefit  thereby.  He  said  to  himself  that  these 
earthy  mixtures  were  matter  of  course  in  all  the  do 
ings  of  the  children  of  earth.  He  was  far  from  being 
definitely  discouraged,  as  he  had  been  a  year  before. 
Diana's  influence  and  energy  and  enthusiasm  had 
taken  hold  of  him  too  deeply  for  that.  But  he  was 
weary,  —  weary  in  body  and  still  more  in  soul,  doubt 
ful,  lacked  hope  and  clear  vision  of  the  future.  At  the 


296        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

moment,  it  seemed  as  if  an  entire  change,  even  if  only 
for  a  little  while,  would  be  thoroughly  acceptable. 

Then  Ethel  wrote  and  asked  if  he  would  go  yacht 
ing  with  them  for  September.  "  You  need  it,  I  am 
sure,"  she  said.  "Aunt  Lucia  and  Milly  and  I  are 
going,  anyway.  If  you  go,  we  shall  ask  Mr.  Kent. 
We  start  on  Monday,  the  fourth,  and  are  coming  up 
Friday  to  stay  over  at  the  Touraine  and  make  our 
preparations.  Come  and  see  us  there  and  be  pre 
pared  to  say  you  '11  go." 

Harvey  read  the  note,  then  leaned  back  with  his 
eyes  shut,  thinking  it  over.  "  Yes,  he  would  go.  He 
could  leave  now,  and  he  had  surely  earned  a  vaca 
tion.  And  the  yacht  —  he  loved  it  so.  The  reek  of 
the  salt  air  filled  his  nostrils  and  made  his  blood 
dance.  Milly  was  going  too.  Well,  why  should  he 
not  see  Milly  ?  He  had  chosen  his  path  and  certainly 
he  should  walk  in  it  —  even  alone  —  even  with  the 
vision  of  those  other  two  walking  together  in  a 
golden  glory  which  he  could  not  share.  But  Milly 
was  gay  and  frank  and  merry.  Her  laughter  and  the 
sparkle  of  the  waves  would  do  him  good.  Then, 
when  he  came  back,  Marcus's  little  affair  would  all  be 
settled.  There  would  be  nothing  left  but  to  congrat 
ulate  and  adjust  one's  self  to  permanent  relations. 
Yes,  he  would  go." 

So  Friday  evening  he  went  to  the  Touraine.   They 


THE   WINDFLOWER  297 

were  all  there,  and  they  were  all  good  to  him,  and  it 
was  very  pleasant.  Some  little  courteous  reference 
was  made  to  his  present  occupations,  but  there  was 
no  raillery,  nothing  unkind  or  satirical.  The  talk 
turned  mostly  on  Cataumet  and  the  summer's  doings 
there  ;  and  Harvey  found  himself  listening,  with  a 
rather  hungry  interest,  to  various  personal  details  of 
flirtation  and  sport.  This  was  not  the  atmosphere 
which  Diana  and  Marcus  would  have  approved. 
Harvey  did  not  approve  of  it  himself.  But  he  had 
grown  up  in  it.  It  seemed  desperately  natural,  and 
for  the  time  very  agreeable.  Then  they  discussed 
their  coming  trip,  and  Harvey  was  the  one  they  all 
turned  to.  Harvey  knew  the  Maine  coast.  If  he  knew 
it !  Had  he  not  spent  summer  after  summer  there,  till 
three  years  ago  ?  Harvey  knew  the  Windflower,  and 
all  about  other  yachts,  and  yachting,  and  yachting 
ways.  So  they  chattered  till  twelve  o'clock  and  after. 

"  He  seemed  to  like  it,"  said  Ethel  to  Milly,  as  they 
were  going  to  bed. 

"He  seemed  to,"  was  the  thoughtful  reply.  " I 
doubt  if  he  really  did." 

Saturday  evening  Harvey  called,  and  again  Sun 
day.  On  the  latter  occasion  he  found  only  Aunt 
Lucia,  as  Ethel  had  gone  out. 

"  I  'm  so  glad  to  get  you  alone,  Harvey,"  began 
his  aunt.  "  I  want  to  talk  to  you." 


298        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

The  young  man  blandly  signified  his  willingness  to 
undergo  the  operation,  though  he  was  rather  aston 
ished  at  Miss  Lucia's  decided  attitude. 

"I  think"  —  she  went  on,  "I  am  afraid  —  that 
Ethel  is  going  to  marry  Mr.  Kent." 

Harvey  had  often  thought  of  this,  even  mentioned 
it  jestingly  to  Kent.  If  it  had  been  spoken  of  in 
general  terms,  he  would  have  approved,  he  did  ap 
prove.  Yet  something  in  the  idea  was  disagreeable 
to  him.  Was  it  necessary  that  just  now  the  whole 
world  should  be  busy  with  marrying  and  giving  in 
marriage  ? 

"  What  put  that  into  your  head  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Well,  they're  a  great  deal  together.  He's  been 
at  Cataumet  a  number  of  times  this  summer,  you 
know." 

Harvey  did  not  know.  He  had  been  at  Cataumet 
only  one  night  himself,  and  had  heard  nothing  of 
Kent  then.  But  if  the  affair  was  palpable  to  Aunt 
Lucia,  it  must  be  very  palpable  indeed.  Then, 
after  a  moment's  thought,  he  conquered  his  repug 
nance,  and  expressed  his  broader  view.  "  Well,  and 
would  n't  it  be  a  good  thing?  " 

Aunt  Lucia  looked,  for  her,  considerably  annoyed. 
"  He 's  got  nothing,  of  course.  At  least,  I  don't  sup 
pose  he  has.  And  he 's  so  very  —  forth-putting,  I 
might  say.  Young  men  seem  to  be  so  nowadays, 


THE   WINDFLOWER  299 

all  but  you,  Harvey.  —  And  I  don't  believe  your  uncle 
would  have  liked  it." 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  thoughtful  answer.  "  I  'm 
inclined  to  think  he  might  have  liked  it  very  well." 

"  Oh,  but  you  know  what  he  wanted  —  about  you 
and  Ethel,"  the  old  lady  continued,  with  tears  in  her 
eyes.  "  He  loved  you  both,  so  much." 

"  I  know  he  did.  But,  Aunt  Lucia,  Ethel  would 
never  have  cared  for  me." 

"  Yes,  she  would,  you  silly  boy.  You  would  n't  let 
her." 

For  half  a  second  Harvey  saw  the  last  two  years  as 
one  vast  mistake.  It  is  a  painful  thing,  as  most  of  us 
know,  to  get  a  glimpse  of  a  considerable  stretch  of 
life  under  that  aspect.  But  the  thought  passed  quickly. 
"It  could  never  have  been,"  he  said.  "As  it  is,  I 
think  we  must  be  glad  that  George  should  have  her. 
He 's  a  good  fellow." 

Then  Ethel  herself  came  in,  and  that  conversation 
ended. 

Monday  was  a  bright,  clear,  hot  day  ;  and  as  Har 
vey  stepped  aboard  the  Windflower  he  felt  that  he 
was  entering  another  world.  The  spotless  deck,  the 
dazzling  twinkle  of  the  polished  brasses,  the  lazy  oscil 
lation  of  the  trim  schooner  in  the  tide,  all  carried  him 
back  to  old  days  when  the  thoughtless  enjoyment  of 
this  world  was  everything,  and  conscience,  with  its 


joo        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

dim  disquietudes,  had  not  entered  in.  He  gripped 
the  ropes  of  the  side-ladder  with  sudden  intensity,  as 
if  he  were  meeting  the  clasp  of  an  old  friend. 

An  even  warmer  grip  was  reserved  for  the  scrawny 
brown  hand  of  Captain  Jim  Ogden,  who  for  fifteen 
years  had  managed  Mr.  Phelps's  boating  matters,  pass 
ing  the  winter  in  charge  of  the  place  at  Cataumet. 
Captain  Jim  was  a  tall,  lank,  shapeless  down-easter, 
who  had  knocked  about  the  world  since  he  was  ten 
years  old,  yet  kept  a  heart  as  innocent  and  candid  as 
Harvey's  own,  with  a  head  that  would  stand  any  kind 
of  a  knock  and  keep  steady  in  every  sort  of  an  emer 
gency.  He  had  been  a  marine  foster-father  to  Har 
vey,  having  plunged  him  into  the  water  for  his  first 
swim,  and  pulled  him  out  after  the  upsetting  of 
his  first  catboat.  Honest  Captain  Jim !  Harvey  had 
almost  forgotten  him  in  the  different  atmosphere  of 
the  last  few  years.  Now  his  bluff,  hearty  greeting 
was  delightful  —  except  for  the  "Mr.  Phelps"  at  the 
end  of  it. 

"  I  say,  Jim,  old  man,  cut  that  out.  It's  Harvey  or 
nothing." 

Jim  grinned,  spat  over  the  rail,  and  proceeded  to 
exhibit  the  latest  improvements. 

Promptly  at  twelve  the  anchor  came  up  and  they 
were  off,  with  a  freshening  easterly  breeze,  which 
bade  fair  to  shove  them  along  properly,  when  they 


THE   WINDFLOWER  301 

got  clear  of  the  harbor.  The  Windflower  was  an 
excellent  sailer,  but  she  was  broadish  in  the  beam, 
built  for  stiff  seas  rather  than  gallery  work,  and  there 
was  no  denying  that  it  suited  her  best  to  have  the 
wind  well  on  her  quarter. 

"Now,  Harvey,"  said  Ethel,  as  they  stood  in  a 
group  on  the  after  deck,  when  lunch  was  over,  "  you  're 
skipper.  Is  n't  he,  Captain  Jim  ?" 

"Sure,  Miss.   Who  else?" 

Harvey  made  no  answer  ;  but  his  chest  expanded 
under  his  white  flannels,  and  stepping  to  the  wheel, 
he  took  the  spokes  from  the  helmsman,  handling 
them  as  if  he  had  done  nothing  else  from  his  cradle. 
Oh,  the  pleasure  of  feeling  the  boat  turn  and  quiver 
in  his  grasp,  like  a  real,  live  thing !  To  stand  there 
and  look  forward  to  the  broad,  towering  sweep  of  the 
white  canvas,  with  the  flash  of  green  water  under  foot, 
and  out  beyond  the  tossing,  turbulent  infinite  of  blue. 
The  freedom  of  it !  The  freedom  of  it !  To  fill  one's 
lungs,  and  one's  heart,  and  one's  soul  with  it,  after  all 
those  months  of  unnatural  constraint.  Say  what  you 
might,  it  was  a  good  world,  a  bright  world,  a  glorious 
world,  just  to  live  in  and  no  more. 

Miss  Lucia  and  Ethel  placed  themselves  near  Har 
vey  and  exchanged  a  word  with  him,  whenever  he 
could  be  got  to  talk.  Milly  had  gone  forward  all  by 
herself  and  was  seated  on  a  camp  stool  in  the  bow, 


302        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

watching  the  dash  and  gleam  and  glitter  of  the  spray, 
as  it  flew  high  off  the  graceful  cutwater.  When  Kent 
emerged  from  below,  where  he  had  been  writing  a 
letter,  he  went  forward  and  joined  her. 

For  a  long  time  they  sat  silent,  now  looking  down 
into  the  deep  green  which  slipped  away  under  them, 
now  gazing  at  the  drift  of  while  sails  near  by,  or  at 
the  rocky,  sunlit  shores.  The  sea  breeze  was  increas 
ing  in  strength  and  bringing  a  haze  with  it  which 
gave  delicious  softness  to  the  September  landscape. 

"  This  is  a  little  voyage  which  may  be  loaded  with 
great  matters,"  said  Kent,  at  length,  softly,  not  look 
ing  at  his  companion,  but  out  to  sea. 

"It  is  so,"  she  assented,  with  lovely,  formal  sim 
plicity. 

"  What  if  all  those  who  are  starting  unattached 
should  come  back  in  couples  ?  " 

"  Captain  Jim  and  Miss  Lucia  ?  " 

"Well,  yes;  why  not?  These  sea-isolations  are 
wonderful  for  developing  affinity.  Witness  the 
novels  of  Clark  Russell." 

"  I  have  n't  read  them." 

"You  ought." 

Again  silence.  They  were  running  close  under  the 
lee  of  a  huge,  ungainly  four-master,  named  the  Re 
becca  Curtis,  so  close  that  she  almost  took  the  wind 
out  of  their  sails.  A  few  ancient  mariners,  whose  best 


THE   WINDFLOWER  303 

clothes  were  obviously  hung  out  to  dry  across  decks, 
leaned  over  the  rail  and  surveyed  the  yacht  with  the 
grim  hatred  which  all  genuine  toilers  of  the  sea  natu 
rally  feel  for  that  butterfly  generation.  Kent  waved 
his  hand  to  them  and  they  returned  the  salute  with  a 
discourteous  gesture. 

"  Harvey  is  on  the  snobbish  side  again,  here,"  he 
said,  laughing,  to  his  companion.  "  Poor  Harvey." 

"  Oh,  yes,  poor  Harvey,"  she  echoed. 

"  Your  sympathy  does  n't  sound  sincere." 

"  It  is  n't."  She  turned  and  and  looked  at  him,  her 
face  full  of  sudden  animation.  "Why poor  Harvey? 
Because  he  wants  the  earth  and  can't  have  it  ?  He 
wants  all  the  fun  of  vice  and  all  the  reward  of  virtue. 
So  do  we  all,  and  some  of  us  can't  have  either.  He 
seems  to  be  sure  of  one  or  the  other." 

"  And  I  fancy  on  this  trip  he  means  to  make  his 
choice.  Don't  you?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  answered,  in  a  low  tone,  turn 
ing  her  head  away  again. 

They  were  getting  out  into  open  water  now  and 
the  long  bound  of  the  yacht  over  the  swell  was  glo 
rious  in  its  rhythmic  motion ;  but  these  two  had  no 
thought  for  anything  but  the  topic  that  absorbed  them. 

"  It  means  a  good  deal  to  you,  does  n't  it  ?  "  Kent 
asked,  with  singular  gentleness. 

Again  she  looked  up,  but  more  slowly  and  with  a 


304       BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

strange,  sad  wistfulness  in  her  tone.  "  Yes,  it  does. 
I  don't  try  to  conceal  it  from  you,  who  understand  me 
a  great  deal  better  than  he  ever  could.  I  want  him ; 
oh,  I  want  him.  And  to  think  that  I  might  have  had 
him,  all  for  my  own,  and  just  threw  him  away,  away 
into  the  lap  of  that  pale,  quiet  creature,  who  passes 
her  time  trying  to  do  her  duty.  Think  of  it !  As  if 
her  duty  could  possibly  matter  to  any  human  being, 
past,  present,  or  to  come.  Why  does  he  like  her,  Mr. 
Kent?" 

Kent  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  He  ought  to  like 
you  better.  I  hope  he  will.  I  hope  it  will  prove  so." 

"  No,"  she  answered,  with  a  sad  shake  of  her  head. 
Then  she  began  to  talk  of  his  concerns.  "  It  will  be 
all  settled  with  you  in  a  day  or  two,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  tell  ?   Do  you  encourage  me  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Do  you  approve  ?  " 

"  Of  course." 

"Yet,"  he  continued  doubtfully,  "  even  I  don't  like 
to  seem  to  marry  for  money.  You  know,  it  is  n't  so, 
really  "  —  He  paused,  with  his  speech  half  finished. 

She  laughed  a  little  hard  laugh,  which  did  n't  quite 
become  her.  "  Is  n't  it  awkward  ?"  she  said.  "You 
don't  quite  like  to  admit,  even  to  me,  that  millions 
and  yachts  are  what  you  want.  Yet  you  can't  quite 
say  —  to  me  —  that  you  love  the  girl,  when  you  re- 


THE   WINDFLOWER  305 

member  what  passed  between  us  a  year  ago  —  let  me 
see  —  we  shall  go  by  the  very  spot  this  afternoon, 
shan't  we  ?  Do  let 's  look  out  for  it  together."  Then, 
softening  her  tone  a  little,  "  I  do  understand  your  po 
sition,  Mr.  Kent.  I  know  you  love  Ethel,  and  she 's 
worth  loving.  Not  perhaps  quite  as  you  might  have 
loved  me,  if  I  had  n't  been  too  cross-grained.  There 
won't  be  much  vitriol  in  it,  will  there  ?  But  that  burns. 
Now  I  think  we  'd  better  go  back  to  the  others.  If 
they  were  to  get  jealous  —  what  an  unnecessary  com 
plication  ! " 

They  made  their  way  aft,  to  join  the  remainder  of 
the  party  ;  and  there  they  all  sat,  while  the  glorious 
summer  day  slipped  by  dreamily,  deliciously.  Har 
vey  kept  his  place  at  the  wheel  and  spoke  little.  The 
others  chatted  vaguely  of  sea  and  land  matters.  The 
steady  southeast  wind  swept  the  yacht  along  under 
full  sail,  like  a  pure  windflower,  as  she  was  ;  and  the 
most  prosaic  of  human  beings  could  hardly  have  failed 
to  feel  the  magical  beauty  of  color  in  that  sea  and  sky, 
dotted  with  white  clouds  and  sails,  and  fringed,  in  the 
background,  with  the  more  sober  tints  of  green  field 
and  dark  and  rugged  rock. 

They  reached  Gloucester  toward  the  latter  part  of 
the  afternoon  and  anchored  in  the  harbor  for  the 
night,  as  Miss  Lucia  wished  to  visit  some  friends  at 
East  Gloucester  in  the  morning.  After  dinner,  Kent, 


306        BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

Milly,  and  Ethel  took  the  little  launch  which  the  Wind- 
flower  carried,  in  addition  to  her  tender,  and  went  for 
a  short  trip  along  the  shore  by  moonlight.  Harvey 
stayed  to  chat  with  Captain  Jim. 

The  two  leaned  over  the  rail  and  smoked,  gazing 
off  at  the  lights  as  they  twinkled  palely  beneath  the 
moon,  listening  to  the  cries  and  songs  and  laughter 
of  the  sailors  in  the  craft  about  them  or  to  the  further 
murmur  of  the  city.  Then  Harvey  began  vaguely  to 
pick  up  little  threads  of  boyish  reminiscence.  "  Do 
you  remember  the  day  we  went  to  such  a  place  and 
did  so  and  so  ?  "  "  That  summer  on  the  coast  of  Lab 
rador,  the  iceberg,  the  gale  on  the  banks  ?  "  "  What 
a  close  call  we  had  when  I  first  went  blue-fishing  and 
the  big  fellow  pulled  me  overboard." 

Captain  Jim  grinned  and  responded  heartily,  as  if 
he  were  enjoying  himself ;  yet  he  seemed  to  have 
something  on  his  mind.  At  length,  in  one  of  the 
frequent  and  long  pauses  with  which  Harvey  inter 
spersed  the  talk,  the  Captain  cleared  his  throat  and 
began,  with  an  effort :  "  Say,  Harvey,  I  don't  see  but 
you  're  just  about  the  same  as  you  always  was." 

Harvey  looked  round  in  astonishment  and  laughed : 
"Why  should  n't  I  be?" 

"  Search  me,"  said  Captain  Jim ;  "  but  they  told  me 
you  wasn't."  Then,  as  Harvey  resumed  his  contem 
plation  of  the  harbor,  without  further  comment,  the 


THE   WINDFLOWER  307 

Captain  took  courage  and  went  on  with  his  lecture ; 
for  such  it  was  apparently  intended  to  be.  "  They  tell 
me  you  've  got  notions  and  think  it 's  wicked  to  be 
rich  and  would  n't  take  your  uncle's  money.  Is  that 
so?" 

"  Well,"  was  the  meditative  answer,  addressed  to 
Captain  Jim — and  the  fishes,  "I  suppose  that's  the 
way  they  would  put  the  thing,  in  a  nutshell." 

"  Now,"  continued  the  Captain,  warming  up  with 
his  work  and  finding  it  rather  agreeable,  "  that 's  all 
damn  foolishness.  There  's  got  to  be  rich  in  the  world 
and  there 's  got  to  be  poor,  and  the  poor  most  gen 
erally  always  deserves  to  be.  You  might  call  me  poor. 
I  ain't,  by  George.  I  've  earned  my  living  since  I 
was  twelve  years  old,  and  there  ain't  a  rich  man  on 
earth  that 's  had  more  fun  out  of  it  than  I  have.  And 
others  can  do  the  same,  if  they  want  to.  It  ain't  bein' 
rich  or  poor  that  counts,  it 's  bein'  a  square  man  and 
bein'  right  there  with  the  goods,  when  your  turn 
comes.  And  if  you  talk  of  square  men,  there  was  your 
uncle ;  he  was  one  of  the  squarest,  whitest  men  that 
ever  lived.  Do  you  think  you  can  do  the  trick  better 
than  him?" 

Harvey  shook  his  head. 

"  Nor  I  don't  neither.  Nor  any  other  of  your 
darned  philanthropists,  as  they  call  themselves,  that 
go  round  stickin'  notions  into  people's  heads  that 


3o8       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

don't  belong  there.  The  way  to  look  at  it,  Harvey, 
is  this.  You  've  got  a  duty.  You  're  a  square  man 
like  your  uncle  was.  It 's  your  duty  to  take  this 
money  that 's  comin'  to  you  and  do  what  your  uncle 
would  have  done  with  it.  If  you  don't,  it  '11  most 
likely  fall  into  worse  hands.  And  don't  you  listen 
to  any  of  these  fellers  who  tell  you  it 's  wrong  to  have 
any  money,  and  right  to  give  it  all  away.  They 
have  n't  got  any.  If  they  had,  you  'd  see  what  would 
happen.  I  suppose  you  think  I  Jm  an  ignorant  old 
sailor  ;  but  there 's  just  one  thing.  I  've  lived  a  lot  of 
my  life  among  what  they  call  the  poorer  classes,  and 
I  ain't  in  such  a  damned  hurry  to  pity  'em  as  some 
that  don't  know  'em  so  well." 

Captain  Jim  concluded  his  vigorous  oration,  with 
which  he  was  evidently  much  pleased.  But  Harvey 
did  not  attempt  any  argument, — simply  held  out  his 
hand  for  the  captain's  bony  grasp,  and  said,  "  Thank 
you,  old  man." 

That  night,  however,  as  the  slow  sway  of  the  tide 
in  Gloucester  Harbor  rocked  him  into  peaceful  slum 
ber,  he  could  not  help  reflecting  that,  after  all,  there 
might  be  a  certain  rude  sense  in  Captain  Jim's  view 
of  things.  But  it  would  not  have  pleased  Diana. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII 

THE  COMING  OF  THE  TIDE 

THE  cruise  of  the  Windflower  was  a  dream  of  beauty 
and  delight,  broken  only  by  the  incidents  natural  to 
such  an  excursion,  an  occasional  heavy  sea,  and  a 
stormy  day  or  two  in  harbor.  The  wanderers  stopped, 
for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  at  all  the  most  interest 
ing  points  on  the  Maine  coast,  notably  at  Mount 
Desert.  Then,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  they 
continued  on  somewhat  farther,  to  the  entrance  of 
the  Bay  of  Fundy ;  and  on  the  twenty-fifth,  having 
reached  the  limit  of  their  time,  they  anchored  at  the 
mouth  of  a  large,  beautifully  broken  estuary,  mean 
ing  to  explore  it  a  little,  before  turning  their  course 
toward  home. 

During  the  whole  trip,  Harvey  had  abandoned 
himself  completely,  deliberately,  to  the  charm  of  his 
surroundings.  Yet  once  more  he  would  drain  the 
cup  of  selfish  pleasure  to  the  full,  try  the  savor  of  it, 
test  the  worth  of  it.  He  sailed  the  yacht.  He  ate  and 
drank  the  delicacies  which  Ethel's  thoughtful  care 
had  provided.  When  he  was  on  board,  he  idled,  lay 


3io        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

in  the  sun,  and  let  the  women  purr  over  him.  When 
he  was  on  shore,  he  danced  with  pretty  girls  and 
trifled  away  the  time.  And  he  enjoyed  it  —  his 
make-up  was  such  that  he  enjoyed  the  luxury,  the 
idleness,  the  trifling,  the  drench  of  golden  sunshine 
amid  the  trifling  of  others.  Yet  in  the  sweetest  mo 
ments  there  came  a  sense  of  dissatisfaction,  a  haunt 
ing  uneasiness  which  he  had  never  known  before. 
When  he  was  in  a  ballroom  at  Bar  Harbor,  dancing 
with  the  prettiest  girl  there,  he  was  astonished  to 
find  himself  thinking  of  the  country  hospital,  wonder 
ing  whether  his  arrangements  were  going  rightly, 
and  in  particular  whether  a  certain  poor  woman,  who 
was  just  getting  over  an  operation  for  appendicitis, 
was  having  the  attention  and  the  care  and  the  com 
forts  she  ought  to  have.  When  these  shadows  of 
conscience  or  duty  fell  thickest,  the  thing  that  was 
most  apt  to  make  him  forget  them  was  the  presence 
of  Miss  Erskine.  Somehow,  he  and  she  were  often 
together,  now  that  Ethel  and  Kent  had  interests  of 
their  own  which  seemed  to  require  frequent  discussion 
in  private.  And  Harvey  found  Milly  in  an  indefinable 
way  changed  from  her  former  self.  She  was  still  gay 
and  merry,  always  ready  with  a  sparkling  jest,  even 
a  cynical  one.  But  she  had  moments  of  thoughtful- 
ness,  almost  of  melancholy,  which  seemed  strange  in 
her,  moments  when  she  would  actually  sit  quiet  and 


THE   COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    311 

expect  Harvey  to  talk.  Her  whole  manner  had  grown 
gentler,  more  tender,  more  earnest,  had  at  times  almost 
something  of  a  sad  wistfulness  about  it.  This  attitude 
puzzled  Harvey  and  interested  him,  made  him  feel 
more  in  sympathy  with  her  than  he  had  done  for 
many  months  past. 

The  evening  after  they  had  reached  their  final 
anchorage,  Harvey  and  Kent  talked  and  smoked  late 
on  deck,  when  the  others  had  gone  to  bed.  As  Kent 
finally  threw  the  end  of  his  cigar  into  the  water  and 
declared  his  intention  of  turning  in,  Harvey  remarked : 
"  I  say,  old  man,  you  '11  let  a  fellow  know  when  it 's 
all  settled,  won't  you  ?  " 

Kent  hesitated,  then  came  back  to  his  companion's 
side  and  spoke  frankly  :  "I  believe  I '11  try  my  luck 
to-morrow  —  if  I  get  a  chance.  What  do  you  think 
of  it?" 

"  You  're  all  right.  Go  ahead.    I  congratulate  you." 

"And  you  don't  bear  me  any  grudge?" 

"Why  should  I?" 

"After  all,"  Kent  continued,  with  some  note  of 
apology,  "  you  can't  have  'em  all  you  know." 

"  Perhaps  not  any  of  'em." 

The  jocular  suggestion  had  a  hint  of  sadness  in  it 
which  Kent  knew  and  answered.  "  Nonsense,  you 
might  have  had  'em  all  —  only  not  all  at  once.  In 
this  country  things  are  so  painfully  limited." 


3i2        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"Well,  good-night,  George,"  said  Harvey,  as  his 
friend  went  below.  u  Good-night,  pleasant  dreams, 
and  good  luck." 

Harvey  himself  stayed  and  smoked  for  an  hour 
longer,  watching  the  fog  bank  climb  up  from  the  east 
over  the  stars  and  listening  to  the  lazy  swash  of  the 
tide  beneath  the  vessel's  counter.  "  Might  he  have 
had  any  of  them  ?  And  was  he  really  to  have  none  ?  " 

In  the  morning  the  fog  hung  thick  over  everything 
and  it  was  impossible  to  be  on  deck  without  protec 
tion.  Books  and  bridge  in  the  cabin  were  absolutely 
necessary  to  get  rid  of  the  time.  But  towards  noon 
the  sun  burned  its  way  out  and  after  luncheon  Ethel 
proposed  that  they  should  take  the  little  launch  and 
make  a  short  excursion  up  the  bay.  Somehow  the 
proposition  did  not  meet  with  general  acceptance. 
Harvey  wished  to  finish  his  book  of  the  morning  and 
Milly  had  something  of  a  headache  and  preferred  to 
stay  on  board. 

"  You  and  George  go,"  suggested  Harvey,  "  and 
explore,  and  report." 

"  If  Mr.  Kent  cares  to,"  Ethel  answered,  and  her 
sunburnt  cheek  grew  a  shade  darker. 

"  Of  course  I  care  to."  Long  experience  in  jour 
nalism  had  made  it  impossible  for  Kent  to  blush  ;  but 
he  would  have  done  so  under  these  circumstances,  if 
he  could. 


THE   COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    313 

Just  as  they  were  being  pushed  clear  of  the  vessel, 
Captain  Jim,  who  had  been  casting  a  glance  seaward, 
called  out :  "  You  '11  have  to  keep  watch  for  the  fog. 
It  '11  be  back  towards  night,  and  if  you  ain't  careful, 
you  might  run  by  us." 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir,"  said  Ethel.  The  launch  shot  gayly 
off  into  the  blue  water. 

They  ran  directly  up  the  bay,  which  was  nearly  a 
mile  wide  and  narrowed  but  little,  until  the  very  end. 
Ethel  steered  and  did  the  sailoring  generally,  her 
companion  being  more  at  home  on  land  than  on  the 
ocean.  Although  the  mists  still  hung  heavily  about 
the  southern  horizon,  the  sky  overhead  was  clear  and 
wonderfully  soft.  A  light  easterly  breeze  tipped  the 
blue  waves  with  foam  and  made  them  glitter  and 
flash  and  sparkle  about  the  flying  craft.  Along  the 
rocky  shores,  maples  just  turning  were  mingled  with 
the  spruces  and  hemlocks,  and  bred  a  perfect  riot  of 
color  in  the  mellow  autumn  light. 

When  they  had  run  about  two  miles  from  the 
Windflower,  they  came  to  a  long,  low  ledge  of  bare 
rock,  around  which  was  gathered  a  noisy  swarm  of 
gulls  and  other  seabirds,  cutting  the  air  in  every 
possible  curve  with  the  white  flash  of  their  radiant 
motion,  or  alighting,  in  fretful  tumult,  near  some 
object  which  could  not  be  discerned  from  the  level 
of  the  water. 


3 14       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  What  in  the  world  are  they  after  ?  "  asked  Kent, 
with  all  the  curiosity  of  a  landsman  and  a  boy. 

"  We  might  go  and  see,"  Ethel  answered  ;  "  but  I 
suspect  we  shall  find  something  —  not  very  pleasant/' 

They  went,  however,  running  the  launch  into  a 
little  opening  at  the  back  of  the  ledge. 

"How  is  the  tide  I  wonder?"  asked  the  head  of 
the  expedition. 

"  Low  water  a  few  minutes  before  six,"  was  the 
unexpected  reply. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?   And  do  you  know  ?  " 

"I  do  —  happened  to  look  this  morning,  by  an  ex 
traordinary  chance." 

"Very  well.  Then  we  won't  pull  her  up  much. 
Just  throw  the  painter  round  that  stone." 

The  gulls  naturally  dispersed  on  the  arrival  of  vis 
itors,  and  the  object  that  had  attracted  them  proved 
to  be,  as  Ethel  had  suggested,  not  very  pleasant,  some 
slimy  sea  monster  who  had  met  his  death  within  an 
only  comparatively  recent  period.  But  the  islet  itself 
was  sunny  and  offered  a  number  of  flat  and  tranquil 
places  just  adapted  for  the  comfortable  seating  of  two  ; 
and  Kent  thought  that  it  might  be  as  well  to  linger 
there  a  little  while.  So  they  made  their  way  to  the 
farther  end,  and  established  themselves  on  a  broad 
rock,  some  five  or  six  feet  above  the  water.  They 
were  facing  west,  looking  towards  the  blue  dance  of 


THE    COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    315 

the  waves  in  the  sunlight  and  the  nearest  shore  with 
its  gorgeous  foliage.  The  Windflower  was  behind 
them  and  nearly  hidden  by  the  rocks  ;  for  Kent  did 
not  care  to  keep  within  the  range  of  Captain  Jim's 
all-penetrating  glass. 

When  they  had  sat  silent  for  a  moment  or  two, 
Kent  began  abruptly  with  what  was  next  his  heart. 
"  I  dare  say  you  can  imagine  something  of  what  I 
want  to  say,  Miss  Harper." 

If  she  could,  she  made  no  sign,  but  sat  still,  with 
her  eyes  fixed  on  the  autumn  glory  towards  the 
west. 

"  There  are  a  great  many  reasons  why  I  should  not 
ask  you  to  marry  me,"  Kent  went  on. 

Still  she  made  no  sign ;  only  turned  her  face  a 
little  farther  from  him,  and  the  color  deepened  on  her 
cheek  and  neck. 

"  In  the  first  place  you  're  rich  and  I  'm  poor,  one 
of  the  proletariat,  as  Diana  might  say.  In  the  next 
place,  it  looks  as  if  I  were  interfering  with  Harvey." 

Then  Ethel  spoke,  but  in  a  soft,  strange  voice,  with 
her  gaze  still  far  off :  "  Harvey  has  never  asked  me 
to  marry  him.  He  cares  nothing  for  me,  nor  I  for 
him,  as  you  mean  it." 

The  softness  of  her  manner  gave  Kent  courage  to 
allow  more  feeling  in  his  own.  "  Harvey  has  devoted 
himself  for  some  time  now,"  he  said,  "to  throwing 


316        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

aside  and  trampling  on  all  the  beautiful  things  of  life 
that  have  come  in  his  way  —  so  many  of  them.  I 
really  think  he  hardly  deserves  many  more  chances, 
though  I  like  him  and  I  don't  want  to  interfere  with 
him.  —  Ethel,"  he  continued,  after  a  little  pause,  not 
venturing  to  touch  her,  even  to  take  her  hand,  but 
speaking  with  an  intensity  in  his  tone  which  she  had 
never  heard  there,  "  Ethel,  I  am  going  to  be  perfectly 
frank  with  you.  When  the  idea  of  —  of  asking  you 
to  marry  me,  first  came  to  me,  I  thought  a  good  deal 
of  —  of  your  money  —  there  —  it  is  out.  Now  I  love 
you.  There  is  something  about  you  so  generous,  so 
large,  so  sweet,  never  a  touch  of  meanness,  never  a 
narrow  thought  or  a  cruel  word,  no  raillery,  no  mock 
ing.  As  I  have  lived  with  you  these  last  three  weeks 
and  seen  your  gentleness,  your  patience,  your  readi 
ness  to  do  everything  for  any  one  without  the  parade 
that  goes  with  some  people's  charity  —  I  have  got  to 
love  you,  Ethel,  so  much  that  I  tell  you  these  things, 
and  then  wonder  whether  you  can  love  me.  I  'm  not 
generous,  I  'm  not  patient,  I  'm  not  kind.  I  'm  not 
worthy  of  you.  There  must  be  something  good  about 
my  love  for  you,  I  think.  I  've  never  thought  before 
about  not  being  worthy  of  anybody  — or  anything." 
She  did  not  make  much  answer  even  now  —  just 
turned  and  looked  at  him,  and  her  eyes  were  full 
of  tears.  "  No  one  ever  spoke  so  of  me  before,"  she 


THE    COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    317 

said.  "  I  think  you  must  love  me  —  I  trust  you  — 
only  I  'm  afraid  you  '11  be  disappointed." 

So  they  sat  there,  in  the  autumn  sunlight,  exchang 
ing  such  sweet  thoughts  and  hopes  and  memories 
and  closer  tokens  of  endearment  as  lovers  use.  Every 
moment  Kent  seemed  to  find  in  her  large,  free  na 
ture  something  new,  that  was  rich  and  satisfying, 
something  ample  and  generous  which  dwarfed  the 
showy  gifts  of  his  own  nervous  temperament  and 
made  him  wonder  more  and  more  whether  he  had 
anything  to  offer  that  would  be  worthy  of  her  com 
plete  surrender  of  herself. 

But  Ethel  was  practical,  even  at  such  a  time  as 
this.  Glancing  down  from  Kent's  shoulder  at  the 
water  beneath  them,  she  pulled  herself  together 
suddenly.  "  Why  ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  the  tide  is 
coming  in ! " 

Her  lover  was  not  interested  in  the  tide  just  then. 
"  Let  it  come,"  he  suggested. 

But  she  was  already  on  her  feet,  crying  out,  "  The 
launch  !  The  launch  1 " 

He  too  rose  and  looked  back.  There  was  the 
"  Windflower  No.  i "  dancing  gayly  on  the  blue 
water,  at  least  half  a  mile  up  the  bay.  The  crevice 
where  they  had  landed  was  completely  covered  over, 
and  the  islet  on  which  they  stood  was  reduced  to  little 
more  than  half  its  original  dimensions. 


3i8        BETWEEN    TWO    MASTERS 

Ethel  looked  at  her  companion  with  a  very  serious 
expression.  "  You  must  have  been  mistaken,"  she 
said. 

"So  it  would  appear.  Oh,  hang  these  marine 
technicalities!  It  was  something,  at  a  little  before 
six." 

"Possibly  high  water."  Ethel's  face  expressed 
some  love,  some  laughter,  and  some  vexation.  "  It 
may  prove  more  than  a  technicality  for  us." 

"Why,"  returned  Kent,  looking  at  her  in  much 
astonishment,  "  you  surely  are  n't  alarmed.  Harvey 
will  take  us  off  in  time  for  dinner." 

"  The  tides  here  come  high  and  they  come  quick," 
she  said.  And  there  was  real  anxiety  in  her  voice. 
"  It  will  be  all  right,  if  they  see  us  on  the  yacht. 
Let 's  wave  to  them  at  once." 

She  took  out  her  handkerchief  as  she  spoke,  and, 
standing  on  the  highest  point  of  the  ledge,  began 
to  wave  vigorously.  Kent  did  the  same,  with  an 
extremely  sheepish  feeling. 

"  See  us !  "  he  murmured.  "  If  only  they  have  n't 
been  seeing  us  all  the  afternoon !  They  '11  think 
we  're  announcing  our  engagement."  Then,  as  Ethel 
seemed  to  have  little  laughter  to  spare  for  this  sally, 
he  added,  "  Of  course  the  tide  won't  come  over  the 
rocks,  do  you  think?" 

"  It  has,  it  does,"  she  said  briefly.    "  There  is  n't  a 


THE    COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    319 

blade  of  grass  here.  It  may  not  come  over  every 
time.  Who  knows  ?  " 

Kent's  voice  was  a  good  deal  less  assured  when 
he  answered  :  "  Well,  at  any  rate,  we  can  count  on 
Harvey.  He  never  fails." 

As  he  said  it,  Ethel  gave  a  little  cry :  "  The  fog ! 
The  fog ! " 

Yes,  there  it  was,  the  great  fog  bank,  which  had 
hovered  on  the  horizon  all  day,  now  rolling  up  its 
quiet,  dull,  brown-gray  masses  over  the  shapely  lines 
of  the  Windflower.  Even  as  they  looked  and  waved, 
the  spars  and  rigging  became  dimmer  and  more 
spidery.  On  swept  the  mist,  till  white  hull  and  blue 
water  were  indistinguishable.  Only,  as  they  got  their 
last  uncertain  glimpse,  Kent  thought  he  detected  the 
flutter  of  an  answering  wave  from  the  vessel's  stern. 

Ethel  quietly  put  her  handkerchief  into  her  pocket 
and  turned  a  pale,  set  face  towards  her  lover. 

"  What  is  to  be  done,"  he  asked,  calm  and  cool 
now,  as  if  he  were  writing  a  "  Snap  Shot,"  instead  of 
acting  one. 

"  Nothing  but  wait,"  she  said,  scanning  the  shore 
in  every  direction  for  possible  help;  but  none  ap 
peared.  There  were  houses  here  and  there,  within 
sight,  but  none  likely  to  have  observed  their  signal. 

"  A  chance  for  a  swim  ?  "  he  asked,  following  her 
eye. 


32o       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

"  Not  for  me  —  in  ice  water,"  she  replied. 

"  Not  for  me  —  in  any  water.    I  never  learned." 

"  We  must  wait,"  was  her  comment,  still  quiet. 
"  Oh,  George,  to  think  I  should  have  brought  you 
to  this  —  the  very  first  day." 

He  put  his  arm  round  her  and  made  her  sit  down 
by  him,  this  time  on  the  point  of  the  island  towards 
the  Windflower  —  and  the  fog.  "  My  darling !"  he 
urged.  "  Don't  let  us  have  any  such  talk  as  that  at 
all.  We  are  on  our  little  pleasure  excursion,  —  on  it 
still.  We  love  one  another.  We  forgot  the  tide  in 
that  before.  Let 's  forget  it  again.  Harvey  will  find 
us,  fog  or  no  fog.  It  is  our  business  to  think  and  talk 
of  each  other  —  and  nothing  else." 

Meantime,  the  gray  mist  had  swept  down  upon 
them  and  all  at  once  they  were  covered,  hidden  from 
the  autumn  sunshine,  from  the  golden  glory  of  the 
woods  and  the  blue  of  ocean.  They  had  sought  soli 
tude  and  now  they  found  it,  alone  with  their  new 
passion,  on  that  mite  of  rock,  in  the  midst  of  the 
great,  gray,  devouring  waters.  The  fog  was  thick  and 
solid,  cold  and  drenching.  Ethel  shivered,  even  in 
the  sweater  and  heavy  wool  gown  which  Aunt  Lucia 
had  urged  as  a  precautionary  measure.  A  dull  breeze 
murmured  hoarsely  from  the  east,  and  flicked  the 
foam  up  on  to  the  rocks.  Every  moment  the  slow, 
sullen  waves  crept  higher,  higher,  higher. 


THE    COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    321 

But  Kent  talked,  as  evenly,  as  brightly,  as  wittily, 
as  he  would  have  done  in  the  yacht's  cabin,  talked  of 
his  past,  all  his  queer  experiences  in  knocking  about 
the  journalistic  world,  talked  of  their  future.  He  would 
do  what  she  wished  him  to  do,  give  up  literature ; 
he  had  never  loved  it,  was  tired  of  it ;  or  he  would  go 
on  with  it,  if  it  interested  her  and  gave  her  pleasure. 

And  all  the  time  he  feared  she  would  go  to  pieces, 
get  hysterical,  as  well  she  might.  Then  what  should 
he  do  with  her?  But  she  didn't  She  was  pale  and 
she  shivered  ;  but  she  was  as  calm  and  self-possessed 
as  he,  as  ready  to  listen  as  he  to  talk,  and  he  knew 
that  listening  was  much  more  difficult.  Every  mo 
ment,  in  this  crisis,  his  love  for  her  was  growing. 
What  a  wild  consecration  it  was,  for  both  their  loves, 
this  abandonment  to  solitude  in  cold,  and  damp,  and 
mystery,  and  darkness! 

Soon  after  the  fog  shut  in,  Ethel  suggested  that  if 
Harvey  should  have  started  for  them,  they  might  aid 
him  by  calling  as  loud  as  they  could.  Therefore, 
every  little  while,  they  stood  up  and  shouted  at  the 
top  of  their  lungs  ;  but  the  sound  seemed  to  be  lost 
in  the  damp  cushion  of  the  fog,  and  the  rising  east 
wind,  blowing  in  their  faces,  whirled  it  away. 

So  they  sat,  Kent  talking,  Ethel  listening  ;  and  the 
minutes  seemed  like  hours. 

"  George,"  she  said  softly,  when  the  dull  horror  had 


322        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

distracted  even  his  thoughts,  for  the  moment,  "  you 
remember,  if  I  —  died,  the  whole  of  papa's  property 
was  to  go  to  Harvey  ?  Would  n't  it  be  odd  —  after 
all?" 

"  Bother !  "  answered  George.  And  he  resumed  his 
task,  not  flippantly,  but  with  gentle  tenderness,  as  if 
he  were  making  love  to  her  in  a  quiet  summer  arbor, 
under  the  moon. 

And  they  waited,  and  the  tide  rose,  and  rose.  They 
were  sitting  on  the  highest  point  of  the  rocks,  with 
some  yards  of  surface  still  several  feet  above  the 
water,  but  the  waves  were  breaking  sharply  at  the 
eastern  end,  and  once  the  spray  came  within  a  few 
inches  of  their  feet.  Kent  had  ceased  talking.  They 
stood  up  and  shouted  yet  again,  wildly,  despairingly, 
and  their  hoarse  voices  were  drowned  at  once  in  the 
dark  depths  of  the  mist.  Then  they  crouched  down 
once  more,  Ethel's  face  buried  on  her  lover's  shoulder. 

Suddenly  Kent  thought  he  heard  the  dim  echo 
of  a  horn  and  a  faint  halloo.  "  Ethel ! "  he  cried. 
"  Ethel !  Oh,  my  God  !  Harvey's  coming." 

They  both  jumped  up,  both  shouted  again,  louder 
than  before  —  then  listened.  Yes,  there  it  was,  nearer. 
"Halloo!  Halloo!  Halloo!" 

Back  and  forth  the  shouts  echoed,  in  spite  of  the 
rising  water ;  and  in  a  few  moments  the  Windflower's 
white  boat  came  looming  through  the  fog,  with  Har- 


THE    COMING   OF   THE   TIDE    323 

vey  rowing  a  pair  of  oars,  as  he  had  never  rowed 
before. 

When  they  were  safe  in  the  boat,  Harvey  grasped 
a  hand  of  each  and  there  were  tears  in  his  eyes.  But 
he  coughed  a  little  and  said,  in  his  ordinary  tone  : 
"  A  very  close  call.  Where's  the  launch ? " 

"  Up  the  bay,"  Ethel  answered ;  and  wrapping 
herself  in  the  thick  cloak  which  Harvey  had  brought, 
she  took  her  place  in  the  stern  sheets  opposite  Kent. 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

MILLY 

DURING  the  night  the  weather  changed,  and  in  the 
morning  the  Windflower  set  sail  for  home,  with  a 
clear  north  wind  that  had  swept  every  shred  of  mist 
from  the  sky. 

Ethel  did  not  come  on  deck  till  late.  Harvey  was 
at  the  wheel.  Milly  and  Miss  Phelps  were  sitting  in 
the  sun  amidships.  Kent  was  below,  writing ;  per 
haps,  as  Milly  suggested,  making  a  record  of  yester 
day's  experiences. 

Ethel  seated  herself  near  her  cousin,  for  a  while, 
and  drank  in  the  splendor  of  the  clear  sky  and  bright 
air,  without  speaking.  Once  or  twice  a  little  shudder 
shook  her  solid  frame. 

"  Harvey,"  she  began,  at  length,  "  you  saved  my 
life  last  night.  It  was  odd  it  should  happen  so,  was  n't 
it?" 

"  I  don't  know  about  the  oddity.  It  was  fortunate, 
rather,  I  think." 

"  I  wish  I  could  ever  have  done  something  for  you," 
she  went  on.  "  You  are  one  of  those  people  who  are 


MILLY  325 

always  doing  something  for  others  and  don't  seem  to 
give  any  opening  for  returning  the  obligation." 

He  swung  the  wheel  slightly,  as  the  wind  struck 
more  from  the  west.  "  I  had  n't  noticed  anything 
like  that,"  he  said.  "  My  idea  was  that  everybody  — 
you  included  —  had  always  been  doing  for  me." 

Again  she  turned  her  attention  to  the  view,  for  a 
considerable  space.  Then  she  began  abruptly  :  "  Har 
vey,  I  'm  going  to  marry  George  Kent." 

"Do  you  know,  I  suspected  as  much,"  he  an 
swered,  with  mild  irony.  "  You  could  n't  do  a  bet 
ter  thing.  George  is  a  square,  straightforward, 
honorable  gentleman,  worthy  of  you,  and  will  make 
you  happy.  And  Ethel  —  uncle  Amos  liked  him. 
He  will  go  into  the  business  and  do  all  I  ought  to 
have  done." 

She  seized  the  opportunity,  with  an  eagerness, 
which  showed  how  nearly  he  had  touched  her  heart : 
"  Oh,  Harvey,  if  you  would  go  into  the  business  with 
him !  That  would  be  so  splendid.  You  two  would 
work  so  well  together.  How  that  would  have  pleased 
papa.  Do  say  you  '11  think  of  it,  Harvey ! " 

Harvey  smiled  at  her  enthusiasm.  "  It 's  too  late 
for  that  now,"  he  replied. 

"  No,"  she  urged,  "  it  is  n't  a  bit  too  late.  It  is  just 
the  time  and  just  the  thing.  It  would  make  me  so 
happy.  I  shall  get  Milly  to  talk  to  you." 


326        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

Then  Kent  appeared  in  the  companion-way  and 
general  congratulations  were  extended. 

That  evening,  under  the  tranquil  moon,  the  two 
lovers  were  seated  together  aft,  and  it  was  quite 
evident  that  they  had  no  need  of  any  other  society. 
Harvey  and  Milly,  therefore,  strolled  forward  where 
they  could  watch  the  flash  of  the  spray  in  the  moon 
light  and  hear  the  sweet,  continual  fall  of  the  drops 
upon  the  water. 

Milly  was  dressed  all  in  white,  a  thick,  soft  white 
cloak  protected  her  from  the  fresh  breeze,  a  Tarn 
o'  Shanter  half  covering  her  face  with  shadow,  yet 
leaving  the  lower  part  of  it,  the  fine,  mobile,  laughing 
lips  to  be  touched  by  the  quivering  splendor  of  the 
moon. 

Harvey  seated  himself  close  to  her,  his  arm  brush 
ing  against  the  folds  of  her  cloak.  Ethel's  urgency 
of  the  morning  kept  running  in  his  thoughts ;  and 
when  Milly  began  to  talk,  her  words  seemed  ger 
mane  to  the  matter. 

"  Don't  you  envy  those  two  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Perhaps,"  was  his  answer,  meaning  much  or  little, 
as  you  read  it. 

"  When  you  think,"  she  went  on,  "  that  it  might 
have  been  all  yours  —  all  —  all  ?  " 

"I  didn't  want  it  — all." 

"  Ah,  but  you  did  —  you  should."   She  looked  up 


MILLY  327 

at  him,  so  that  the  light  crept  under  the  edge  of  her 
cap  and  filled  her  eyes,  more  earnest,  more  tender 
than  he  had  ever  seen  them.  "  Do  you  know,  Mr. 
Phelps,  this  critical  situation  of  yours  has  taken  hold 
of  me  so  very,  very  much.  It  has  almost  changed  my 
nature,  driven  the  laughter  out  of  me.  Think  what  it 
means.  Think  what  you  might  do  with  life.  You  are 
—  or  seem  to  be  —  deliberately  choosing  obscurity, 
inefficiency,  uselessness  in  the  world.  I  won't  say 
that.  Your  power  won't  be  wasted  anywhere.  But 
think  what  is  put  within  your  grasp.  I  am  not  speak 
ing  now  of  the  sweet  of  life,  though  I  believe  in  that, 
don't  you  ?  I  believe  it  is  our  duty  to  open  our  lives, 
all  our  senses  and  our  souls,  to  what  is  fine  and  lovely, 
as  only  wealth  and  opportunity  can  give  it  to  us.  But 
put  that  aside.  Think  of  the  good  you  might  do. 
With  the  money  that  is  offered  you  —  still,  —  with 
the  position  that  is  offered  you  —  still,  —  what  noble 
causes  you  could  forward,  what  broad,  wise  useful 
ness  you  could  attain,  increasing  and  increasing,  as 
long  as  you  live.  Now  is  the  time  to  decide  —  now. 
You  have  hesitated.  You  have  tried  different  paths. 
I  believe,  in  your  inmost  soul,  you  feel  as  I  do." 

She  waited  for  him  to  answer  her  ;  but  he  did  not. 
The  swift  vessel  bounded  on,  with  a  long  roll  over 
the  waves  that  was  like  the  sway  of  organ  music. 
The  light  drops  fell  ceaselessly,  with  their  silver  echo 


328        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

in  his  ears.  And  the  echo  of  her  words  was  as  clear 
and  silvery  as  that  of  the  falling  water. 

"  Mr.  Phelps,"  she  said  very  softly,  with  her  face 
turned  from  him,  so  that  he  could  see  hardly  more 
than  the  tip  of  her  ears  in  the  moonlight  and  the 
golden  flutter  of  her  hair,  "  Mr.  Phelps,  this  means  a 
great  deal  to  me.  I  have  thought  of  it  day  and  night. 
If  I  —  if  you  —  if  I  could  do  —  or  be  —  anything  — 
there  was  a  time  —  or  I  should  n't  speak"  — 

Her  voice  was  lost  in  the  magical  murmur  of  the 
sea.  But  he  understood.  She  was  telling  him  that 
things  were  not  as  they  were  that  April  day,  a  year 
and  a  half  ago.  If  he  would  ask  her  again  —  if  he 
would  ask  her  again  !  —  But  all  that  he  saw,  all 
that  he  heard,  was  a  pair  of  earnest,  dark  eyes,  and 
a  voice  that  thrilled  with  an  intensity  Milly's  had 
never  known.  And  he  answered  not. 

Minute  after  minute  sped  away.  At  length  Milly 
rose.  "  It's  cold.  I  think  I'll  go  in,"  she  said.  And 
as  he  rose  to  accompany  her,  she  added  shortly : 
"  No,  no  ;  stay  where  you  are." 

So  she  made  her  way  aft,  unsteadily,  as  it  seemed 
to  him,  and  he  stayed.  And,  as  he  sat  there  alone, 
feeling  the  glorious  bound  of  the  free  ship  under  him, 
a  great  sense  of  freedom  and  large  contentment  pos 
sessed  his  soul.  For  one  moment  her  witchery  had 
tempted  him.  For  one  moment  she  had  seemed  to 


MILLY  329 

embody  all  the  beauty,  all  the  charm,  all  the  unend 
ing  grace  of  the  view  of  life  she  was  contending  for. 
Then  the  charm  broke  and  he  saw  that,  for  him,  at 
any  rate,  there  was  no  beauty  and  no  grace  in  the 
life  that  was  lived  for  self,  that  took  no  account  of 
sacrifice  or  sympathy,  that  did  not  place  the  good  of 
others  higher  than  one's  own.  Yes,  as  she  said,  this 
was  the  crisis,  the  now  when  everything  must  be 
settled.  And  with  that  before  him,  he  did  not  feel  a 
moment's  hesitation.  Already  he  looked  forward  to 
immense  possibilities  of  usefulness  along  the  lines 
which  his  summer's  work  had  suggested.  There  was 
so  much  bungling  in  the  management  of  such  things, 
so  much  was  left  to  the  handling  of  those  who  under 
took  charitable  work  after  they  had  been  unsuccess 
ful  in  everything  else.  A  clear,  business  head,  a 
strong  practical  grip  —  and  these  qualities  he  was 
really  beginning  to  hope  he  had,  in  some  measure  — 
could  be  so  useful,  so  endlessly  useful.  It  was  too 
much  for  him,  perhaps  for  any  one,  to  attempt  to 
settle  the  great  problems  of  modern  life  in  the  ab 
stract,  the  right  and  the  wrong  of  things,  of  capital 
and  labor,  of  the  adjustment  of  wealth  and  what  was 
honest  and  dishonest  in  the  acquirement  of  it.  But 
there  was  always  work,  always  the  patient  effort  to 
give  one's  very  best  towards  diminishing  the  inequal 
ities,  lifting  up  the  down-trodden  ;  there  was  always 


330       BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

love.  Yes,  love  ;  and  with  love  came  the  thought  of 
Diana,  never  far  away.  Ah,  if  he  could  but  have  her 
sight,  her  insight  always  with  him  to  guide  and  gov 
ern  his  brute  strength  !  At  least,  her  inspiration  he 
could  always  have  —  and  Marcus's  also  —  those  two 
who  had  brought  into  his  life  so  much  trouble,  indeed, 
but  [so  much  that  was  divinely  beautiful  and  that 
made  the  trouble  seem  a  mere  trifling  shadow,  soon 
to  pass  away. 

Then,  as  he  sat  there,  under  the  vast  tranquillity 
of  heaven,  with  the  splendid  might  of  the  salt  ocean 
all  about  him,  the  thought  of  love  went  broader  still 
to  the  broadest,  deepest,  mightiest  love  of  all.  Ever 
since  that  evening  in  Marcus's  chapel,  his  life  had 
been  more  open  to  God  than  before,  the  divine  pre 
sence  had  hovered  near  him,  the  white  wings  had 
brushed  his  forehead.  But  he  had  been  busy,  hurried, 
pressed  with  outward  thoughts  and  material  occupa 
tions,  driven  by  day  and  full  of  heavy  sleep  at  night. 
Then  on  the  yacht  had  come  at  first  a  complete  reac 
tion,  the  lethargy  of  voluptuous  ease  had  kept  his 
inner  eyelids  drooping,  drooping.  And  always  at  the 
spirit's  gentle  summons  he  had  hesitated,  unwilling 
to  make  the  final  surrender,  unwilling  to  bind  himself 
to  any,  even  the  highest  service.  But  now,  suddenly, 
as  he  shook  the  fetters  of  the  world's  servitude  for 
ever  from  his  limbs,  as  he  let  Milly  go  from  him, 


MILLY  331 

carrying  with  her  the  last  vestige  of  temptation,  the 
last  possibility  of  compromise  with  what  he  knew  to 
be  beneath  him  and  unworthy  of  him,  his  soul  seemed 
to  sweep  up  and  out  into  its  native  element,  like 
some  unpinioned  eagle  of  the  sea.  There  was  no 
question  of  surrender,  no  thought  of  giving  up  or 
looking  back.  The  bonds  were  burst,  the  walls  were 
faded,  the  bars  were  shattered.  The  life  in  God,  the 
love  of  God  seemed  not  to  be  a  giving  but  an  im 
mense  acquiring  of  light,  of  power,  and  of  joy,  some 
thing  to  be  held,  something  positive,  to  be  imparted 
to  others,  to  be  spread  broadcast,  as  far  as  one's  in 
fluence  would  reach.  Overhead,  beyond  the  moon 
and  stars,  is  love,  everywhere  love.  And  underneath 
are  the  everlasting  arms. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

DIANA 

ON  his  desk  at  home  Harvey  found  a  note  from 
Diana.  —  "  Dear  Mr.  Phelps  :  I  shall  be  glad  to  see 
you  as  soon  as  convenient.  I  have  something  to 
tell  you." 

It  was  all  settled  then  —  so  soon.  Somehow,  in 
spite  of  everything,  just  a  little  doubt  had  lingered ; 
but  clearly  there  was  no  room  for  doubting  now. 

He  went  the  same  evening  and  found  Diana  alone, 
dressed  quietly,  in  simple  black.  She  greeted  him 
with  cordiality,  yet,  as  he  thought,  with  some  em 
barrassment.  "  You  got  my  note  ?"  she  asked. 

Then  she  changed  the  subject  and  inquired  about 
his  trip.  Where  had  he  been  ?  What  stops  ?  What 
incidents?  Of  course  he  had  enjoyed  himself. 

He  answered  civilly,  but  briefly.  What  could  she 
want  with  all  this  ?  In  a  moment  he  found  out. 
"  I  did  n't  know,"  she  continued,  with  a  little  hesi 
tation,  a  little  tremble  of  her  lips,  which  Harvey  may 
not  have  seen,  "  I  thought  perhaps  we  should  con 
gratulate  you  when  you  returned." 


DIANA  333 

Then  he  found  words  to  speak  to  her,  as  he  had 
never  spoken  before, — eager,  tumultuous  words,  elo 
quent  from  the  passion  which  gushed  through  them. 
He  told  her  how  he  had  sunk  at  first  into  the  delight 
of  that  luxurious  life,  —  sunk  almost  up  to  the  heart ; 
then,  at  the  end,  how  all  the  vanity  had  fallen  off 
from  him  and  the  pure  light  had  come.  He  could 
convey  only  a  part  of  what  he  had  felt,  yet  he  him 
self  was  astonished  that  he  could  convey  so  much ; 
and  she  listened  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

But  all  at  once  her  note  occurred  to  him,  and  what 
he  was  there  for.  "You  had  something  to  tell  me?" 
he  asked,  almost  roughly. 

She  started  and  took  a  moment  to  collect  herself. 
"  Oh,  yes,  to  be  sure,"  she  answered.  "  I  am  so  glad 
I  wrote,  now.  You  know  Mr.  Franklin  —  Richard 
Franklin?" 

Harvey  looked  at  her  bewildered.  What  had  Mr. 
Richard  Franklin  to  do  with  him  and  her?  Was  he 
another  candidate?  "Yes,  I  know  him,"  he  replied 
at  length. 

"  He  died  two  weeks  ago.  Perhaps  you  noticed  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  You  know  what  he  was,"  she  went  on.  "  Trea 
surer  of  the  Settlement  Association  —  and  a  great 
many  other  things  beside.  I  want  you  to  succeed 
him." 


334        BETWEEN   TWO    MASTERS 

When  Harvey  had  adjusted  himself  to  the  situa 
tion,  he  answered  :  "  I  'm  not  fit,  not  equal  to  it." 

"  Yes  you  are,"  she  urged,  with  absolute  convic 
tion,  "  you  're  more  than  equal  to  it.  You  're  just  the 
one  for  it,  and  through  it  you'll  get  into  work  that 
will  fill  your  life  to  overflowing." 

But  just  now  Harvey  was  not  ready  to  talk  about 
his  work.  A  new,  sudden  hope  was  making  his 
heart  quiver  and  his  brain  turn.  "  Was  that  all  you 
had  to  tell  me  ? "  he  asked,  in  a  strange,  trembling 
voice. 

She  looked  at  him  in  wonder,  for  a  second.  Then 
her  voice  also  trembled,  as  she  answered :  "  Yes,  all. 
What  else  ?  " 

"And  Marcus?"  he  asked,  almost  in  a  whisper. 

She,  too,  spoke  low,  and  turned  her  face  away. 
"  He  told  you,  then  ?  Poor  Mr.  Upham  !  I  was  so 
sorry." 

Harvey  loved  Marcus,  but  he  had  no  room  in  his 
heart  for  sorrow  now.  Instinctively  he  rose,  moved 
towards  her,  uncertain,  trembling,  bewildered,  in 
stinctively  held  out  his  arms.  She,  too,  rose.  Her 
eyes  were  shut.  Her  breath  came  quickly.  Then,  be 
fore  she  knew  it,  his  arms  were  about  her.  At  first 
she  held  back,  resisted,  pitting  her  splendid  will 
against  the  enfolding  might  of  his  embrace.  Then, 
all  at  once,  with  a  little  sigh,  she  yielded  utterly,  and 


DIANA  335 

the  sweetness  of  that  submission  was  so  mighty,  so 
overpowering,  that  it  seemed  hardly  to  leave  his 
muscles  strength  to  hold  her  up. 

"Diana,"  he  whispered,  "I  don't  understand  it. 
Are  you  mine?" 

"  Yours,"  was  her  answer,  almost  inaudible,  "  yours, 
yours,  always  yours." 

The  first  v/cek  in  April  George  Kent  and  Ethel 
Harper  were  married  in  the  Old  South,  with  all  the 
gorgeousness  appropriate  to  such  an  occasion  ;  but 
a  month  earlier  Diana  had  become  Mrs.  Phelps,  in 
the  quiet  home  church  where  she  had  first  learned 
love  and  worship  and  in  which  Harvey  had  been  con 
firmed  a  few  weeks  before  the  wedding.  The  mar 
riage  was  performed  by  Diana's  old  pastor  and  friend  ; 
but  he  was  assisted  by  Marcus,  now  frailer  and  more 
ethereal  than  ever,  but  also  more  transfigured  than 
ever  by  an  unearthly  light  and  joy.  The  weeks  of 
suffering,  of  intimate  contact  with  the  deepest  and 
strongest  of  human  passions,  and  the  mighty  effort 
which  had  been  requisite  to  overcome  that  passion, 
had  touched  his  ascetic  nature  with  just  that  crown 
ing  grace  of  tenderness  which  it  had  sometimes 
seemed  to  lack. 

Kent  and  Ethel  of  course  sat  side  by  side  during 
the  service.  Some  way  apart  from  them  sat  a  small 


336        BETWEEN  TWO    MASTERS 

figure  in  a  dark,  inconspicuous  suit,  with  a  face  that 
showed  very  little  sign  of  nuptial  joy. 

"  Poor  Milly ! "  said  Kent  to  his  betrothed  after 
wards.  "  Harvey  has  chosen  God  and  I  Mammon." 

"  Thank  you,  so  much,"  suggested  Ethel. 

"  Milly  used  to  say  she  wanted  both,  and  she  gets 
neither." 


Electrotyped  and  printed  by  H.  O.  Houghton  &  Co. 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


The  following  pages  are  devoted  to  notices  of  some 
successful  fiction  published  by  Houghton,  Mifflin  & 
Company,  Boston  and  New  York. 


The 

PRIVATE  TUTOR 

By  GAMALIEL  BRADFORD,  Jr. 


The  love  story  of  an  Italian  countess  and  a  wealthy 
young  American  "  cub."  An  amusing  comedy. 

"It  is  a  readable,  pleasant  story,  sprinkled  with  criti 
cism  of  art  and  bright  conversation,  and  bound  to  hold 
the  interest  of  the  reader."  Chicago  Eve.  Post. 

"  It  narrates  directly,  and  with  just  enough  philosoph 
ical  reflection  to  show  the  author's  personal  touch  and 
feeling,  the  experiences  of  a  party  of  Americans  visit 
ing  and  living  in  Rome."  Boston  Transcript. 

"A  book  which  has  the  distinction  of  intellectuality." 

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REBECCA 

of  SUNNYBROOK  FARM 


By  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN 

"  Of  all  the  children  of  Mrs.  Wiggin's  brain,  the  most 
laughable  and  the  most  lovable  is  Rebecca." 

Life,  N.   Y. 

"  Rebecca  creeps  right  into  one's  affections  and  stayg 
there."  Philadelphia  Item. 

"A   character   that  is  irresistible  in  her  quaint,  hu* 
morous  originality."  Cleveland  Leader. 

"Rebecca  is  as  refreshing  as  a  draught  of   spring 
water."  Los  Angeles  Times. 

"  Rebecca  has  come  to  stay  with  one  for  all  time,  and 
delight  one  perpetually,  like  Marjorie  Fleming." 

Literary   World,  Boston. 

With  decorative  cover 


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THE  REAPER 


By  EDITH  RICKERT 


"So  impressive  are  Miss  Rickert's  accounts  of  the 
Shetland  character,  so  vivid  her  pictures  of  their 
alternating  happy  and  sordid  lives,  so  faithful  her 
study  of  the  racial  and  personal  influences  that  move 
them,  that  we  may  accept  The  Reaper  as  one  of  the 
notable  books  of  the  season.  It  is  something  more 
than  fiction  —  it  gives  a  realistic,  poetic,  imaginative 
view  of  a  wonderful  and  curious  people." 

Boston   Transcript. 

"A  powerful  story,  fresh,  vivid,  and  of  unusual  char 
acter  and  tone."  Chicago  Record-Herald. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 

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y 
REC'D  T.D 

JUN5   '65 -11  AM 


-100m-12,'46(A2012sl6)4120 


H- 


Bradford,  G 


Between  tiro  masters 


B799 


be 


YC145S91 


